# dig for

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dig-for
Updated: 2026-07-27

## Definition

to search carefully through something to find information or a hidden object. You use this when you look for something that is not easy to see or get.

For teachers: to search thoroughly through a container, collection, or body of information to locate something specific. Often implies effort or persistence in uncovering hidden details.

## Examples

- I had to dig for my keys in my messy bag.
- The journalist spent weeks digging for evidence to support the claims made by the whistleblower.
- Historians must often dig for primary sources in dusty archives to reconstruct the nuanced reality of a long-forgotten political movement.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I dug the truth" but "I dug for the truth" — The phrasal verb requires the particle 'for' when searching for abstract information or hidden items.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; the particle 'for' is required to introduce the target of the search.

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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.