Synonyms of excavating

excavating

verb

present participle of excavate

as in digging

to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth

workmen are excavating a long tunnel that will eventually replace the aboveground expressway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• digging
• shoveling
• dredging
• grubbing
• burrowing
• mining
• scooping
• delving
• clawing
• quarrying
• spading
• digging in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• filling (in)
• smoothing (out or over)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of excavating

Energy companies might save substantial capital by tapping naturally occurring subterranean structures rather than excavating artificial caverns or modifying depleted reservoirs. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

Archaeologists excavating Hattusa, the former capital of the Hittite Empire in what is now Turkey, discovered a fragment of a clay tablet inscribed with Akkadian cuneiform, according to Smithsonian Magazine. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026

Whether that’s the pursuit of new forms of connection, experimenting with unfamiliar design frameworks such as a new menswear silhouette, or excavating references from the past, the brand approaches each collection with a spirit of inquiry. — Michael Anthony Hall, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The words themselves feel poetic, almost decadent, but the images are robbed of their power to meet them, as each frame feels aimed only at presenting, rather than luring or excavating. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

An international team of roughly 60 researchers from 13 countries was excavating the site when the amulet was discovered. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Poliński, a professor at the Institute of Archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland, and his colleagues began excavating the site in Pień near Dąbrowa Chełmińska in 2005. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Similar to black-eyed Susans, coreopsis is divided by carefully excavating its clumps from the soil and cutting them into small sections, ensuring each has some foliage and roots present. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 21 Aug. 2026

In July 2025, utility workers excavating trenches to expand an underground gas network in Peru's capital unearthed two pre-Incan tombs that were over 1,000 years old. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026