# excavate

/ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/ (US) · /ˈɛkskəvˌeɪt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/excavate
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

to dig earth or old objects out of the ground, often to find things from the past or to prepare land for building.

For teachers: to remove soil or rock by digging, especially to uncover buried remains or to prepare ground for construction. Takes a direct object denoting the material removed or the site worked.

## Examples

- Workers excavate the field before building the school.
- Archaeologists excavate the hillside each summer to uncover old pottery and buried walls.
- The team continues to excavate the floodplain where satellite images suggest a buried canal once linked two ancient settlements.

## Synonyms

unearth, dig

## Antonyms

Bury, fill

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.

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