excavating
Removing earth methodically
Excavating is digging out and removing earth, rock, or other material from the ground.
The word applies to construction sites, archaeological digs, and mining operations: They've been excavating the foundation for weeks.
Figuratively, to excavate is to uncover something buried or hidden: excavating the truth from old records.
Discovering something hidden
- uncoveringRevealing something hidden
- exposingMaking something known
- revealingMaking known what's hidden
- findingConclusion from investigation
buried · hidden · lost · treasure · relic · cache · hoard · remains
Designated location
- digUnearth by shoveling
- trowelFlat blade for spreading
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
potsherds · carbon-dating · trench · grid · brushwork · fieldwork · neolithic · prehistoric
Ground matter for planting
- topsoilNutrient-rich surface earth
- clayMoldable earth for ceramics
- siltWaterborne earth particles
- loamFertile soil mixture
subsoil · bedrock · strata · sediment · dirt · humus · gravel · sand
Bladed vehicle pushing earth
- backhoeHinged-arm excavating machine
- trencherWooden food board
- earthmoverHeavy digging machinery
- foundationUnderlying support structure
grading · demolition · loader · dumptruck · jackhammer · contractor · footings · utilities
Pit for extracting rock
- mineOre excavation site
- shaftNarrow vertical passage
- tunnelingDigging underground passages
- oreMetal-bearing rock
coal · strip-mining · blasting · dragline · overburden · extraction · mineral · gemstone
unearthing
Discovering something hidden
- uncoveringRevealing something hidden
- exposingMaking something known
- revealingMaking known what's hidden
finding · buried · hidden · lost · treasure · relic · cache · hoard · remains · skeleton
site
Designated location
- digUnearth by shoveling
- trowelFlat blade for spreading
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
artifacts · potsherds · carbon-dating · trench · grid · brushwork · fieldwork · neolithic · prehistoric · palaeontology
soil
Ground matter for planting
loam · subsoil · bedrock · strata · sediment · dirt · humus · gravel · sand · rubble
bulldozer
Bladed vehicle pushing earth
- backhoeHinged-arm excavating machine
- trencherWooden food board
- earthmoverHeavy digging machinery
foundation · grading · demolition · loader · dumptruck · jackhammer · contractor · footings · utilities · pipeline
quarry
Pit for extracting rock
ore · coal · strip-mining · blasting · dragline · overburden · extraction · mineral · gemstone · underground
- discoveryfind, finding, discovery, discover, finding out
- excavationdig, digging, trench, pit, hole
- extractingmining, drilling, juicing, pulling, yanking
- animal diggingburrowing, tunneling, den building, denning
- Burrowingdigging, tunneling, tunnel networks
- earthworkdigging, trenching, shoveling, earthmoving, backfilling
excavatingfilling
Material placed within
backfilling · filling in · burying · covering · infilling
excavatingburying
Covering with earth
entombing · interring · covering · concealing · covering up
- archaeological excavationSystematic unearthing of artifacts
- excavation siteLocation of systematic unearthing
- fossil excavationRecovering preserved ancient organisms
- excavation equipmentMachines for digging ground
- deep excavation