# dig deep

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dig-deep
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To make a lot of effort with all one's resources.

## Examples

- 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.

## Origin

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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.