dig deep
To make a lot of effort with all one's resources.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You need to dig deep to finish this race.”
“I must dig deep to stay calm during this difficult conversation.”
“She needs to dig deep to find an answer to this problem.”
“The team had to dig deep to find the energy to complete the project on time.”
“To pay for his daughter's university tuition, he had to dig deep into his life savings.”
“The charity asked the local community to dig deep and donate whatever they could afford.”
“The writer had to dig deep into her own memories to create a story that felt honest and moved her readers.”
“Facing a massive deficit in the final quarter, the players had to dig deep and summon every ounce of their remaining strength to secure the victory.”
The idiom evokes the physical labour of excavation, drawing upon the imagery of digging into the earth for water or mineral ore. It further suggests the manual search for coins at the bottom of a pocket. The expression relies upon these dual associations of extracting buried resources and reaching for personal funds.
- 01
deep cut
An obscure song by a well known musician.
- 02
deep dive
An in-depth examination or analysis of a topic.
- 03
deep down
Fundamentally; in essence; in reality
- 04
deep pockets
An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.
- 05
deep six
To discard, get rid of, or cancel; to completely put an end to something.
- 06
deep thinker
A person whose thoughts are profound; an intellectual.
- 07
deep water
A difficult or embarrassing situation.
- 08
dig a hole for oneself
To take an action or create a situation from which it is difficult to extricate.
Last updated August 10, 2026