posthole

noun

post·​hole ˈpōst-ˌhōl How to pronounce posthole (audio)
Synonyms of postholenext
: a hole dug for a post

Examples of posthole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For more than an hour, the three humans dig postholes in the hard dirt, put up a fence and prepare the goats’ meal. — Rachel Manteuffel, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2019 To install the screen, mark the post centers on the ground, and use a posthole digger or shovel to dig holes at least 30 in. — Neal Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 15 May 2021 In 2013, his team uncovered thousands more ancient postholes, some from 11 circular structures cut into the bedrock. — Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2023 Magazine reviewers were generally favorable to the first Bronco, but there’s a reason the truck became a rural workhorse with an accessories catalog full of snowplows and posthole diggers. — Jonathon Ramsey, Car and Driver, 12 July 2020 Per the authors, the original residence was clearly connected with Holy Trinity Church just to the south, parts of which date back to the 11th century, as evidenced by the posthole remains of what was once a bridge or causeway. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of posthole was in 1703

Rhymes for posthole

See All Rhymes for posthole

Browse Nearby Words

post hoc, ergo propter hoc
posthole
post-hole digger
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Posthole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/posthole. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

posthole

noun
post·​hole ˈpōst-ˌhōl How to pronounce posthole (audio)
: a hole sunk in the ground to hold a fence post

More from Merriam-Webster on posthole

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for posthole

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