dig out

verb

dug out; digging out; digs out

transitive verb

1

: find, unearth

2

: to make hollow by digging

intransitive verb

: take off sense 1a

Synonyms

• ascertain
• descry
• detect
• determine
• dig up
• discover
• dredge (up)
• ferret (out)
• find
• find out
• get
• hit (on or upon)
• hunt (down or up)
• learn
• locate
• nose out
• root (out)
• rout (out)
• rummage
• run down
• scare up
• scout (up)
• track (down)
• turn up

Examples of dig out in a Sentence

she dug her old art supplies out of the basement

without saying where she was going, the young woman dug out early the next morning

Recent Examples on the Web

UConn, which dug out of a 9-15 hole to start this past season, had nine transfers from Division III schools and, some in the game are beginning to theorize, this is the way of the future. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2024

Dozens of bulldozers have dug out fire lines, and aircraft have dumped thousands of gallons of water and flame retardant on the blazes. —Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024

From multicultural cities like San Francisco to a Bavarian-style mountain village, these U.S. destinations give you a taste of the continent without having to dig out your passport. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2024

Boston lost Game 1 and Game 2 at home to the Miami Heat, then dug out of a 3-0 series deficit only to take a 103-84 loss in Game 7. —Ben Golliver, Washington Post, 17 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1