digging up

verb

present participle of dig up
as in finding
to come upon after searching, study, or effort she tried to dig up any information she could for the report on sharks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of digging up Construction on the pipeline could mean members of the community must make the decision between digging up their ancestors to preserve their graves or having the graves destroyed in the construction. — Madeline Luebkert, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 By comparison, digging up and repaving a road requires 12 to 14 workers and covers only about a mile a day. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Steve has traveled around the world digging up dinosaurs and, working with many international colleagues, has named more than 15 new species, including the tyrannosaur 'Pinocchio rex' (Qianzhousaurus) and the raptor Zhenyuanlong. — Big Think, 31 July 2026 Forget all the evidence his partner is digging up about Aunt Cheryl having a history of unhinged behavior, or her connection to numerous missing persons’ cases and mysterious deaths, or the fact that Billy and Tom vigorously deny his theories. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 July 2026 That means less time switching between websites and digging up old passwords, and more time focusing on your financial goals. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Archaeological finds require being present on a planet, and digging up artifacts. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 July 2026 Real-time searches - As a customer describes an issue, the system should simultaneously be digging up the most relevant information to provide an answer. — Tomas Gorny, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Sprinkler systems are also easier to adjust as your yard changes over time because spray patterns, nozzles, and watering zones can typically be modified without digging up irrigation lines. — Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for digging up
  1. finding
  2. learning
  3. discovering
  4. locating
  5. finding out
  6. digging out
  7. running down
  8. getting
Verb
  • His best option was finding a living donor for a kidney transplant.
    — Joe Donlon, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Shelton of 2025 who scrapped out wins by scrambling along the baseline and finding a way has evolved into a more assertive player.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of finding
Verb
  • And staying socially and mentally engaged by participating in hobbies, learning new skills, and maintaining relationships with family and friends are all ways to keep the body and brain active.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The courses, Cristerna said, would have been useful in learning how to negotiate brand deals, maximize monetization opportunities and cultivate and keep an audience.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of learning
Verb
  • Upon discovering the tagging, staff staff and equipment were mobilized to remove the markings from the municipal sidewalks through cleaning and power washing, the statement says.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Upon discovering that a nurse at the clinic was stealing vast amounts of fentanyl, Gabby seeks out other victims and leads a groundbreaking legal battle against Yale University.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of discovering
Verb
  • The Olathe Police Department is seeking public assistance in locating a missing man who was last seen walking along 123rd Street Monday.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Gwinnett County Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in locating 17-year-old Deaniyka Body, who jumped from a moving vehicle that was transporting her only two weeks ago, police say.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of locating
Verb
  • After finding out the fire suppression systems didn't work, Mayor Tom Maglicco and his police chief went to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office for help.
    — Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Rogan suggested that his guest should hurry up with Iran-war negotiations and get on with the real business of the government, such as finding out whether the government is secretly hoarding extraterrestrial corpses.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of finding out
Verb
  • Jac Caglianone sent both runners home, digging out an 81 mph changeup from righty Bailey Ober and giving the Royals a 2-0 lead.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Weeding tools or an old screwdriver will speed up digging out roots.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
Definition of digging out
Verb
  • Fittingly, the style comes in three colorways including Zebra Soapstone, a tan take on the trendy animal print, and Gilded Umber, a rich, chocolate brown adorned with gold-tone grommets running down each outer seam.
    — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Two white stripes running down the sides of each leg create a casual look that’s effortlessly chic and pairs well with just about any shoes in your suitcase.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of running down
Verb
  • Tampa Bay used seven arms out of the bullpen, with Casey Legumina getting the start.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • So is controlling blood pressure, treating chronic conditions such as diabetes, avoiding smoking, limiting excessive alcohol use, getting enough sleep and maintaining a healthy weight.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of getting

Browse Nearby Words

digging (through)
digging up
dig in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Digging up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/digging%20up. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All