SHOVEL Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

shovel

verb

Definition of shovel

as in to dig

to hollow out or form (something) by removing earth the troops quickly shoveled a trench

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of shovel Rocky’s job of the day turned out to be shoveling the steps and sidewalks of the church, which was on a corner lot and had about a block’s length of sidewalk. — Tom Drury, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Locals and government officials were clearing debris and shoveling thick mud coating much of the town. — Eugene Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026 Several parody videos of people shoveling dessert into their mouths also circulated on social media. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2026 Moments after an incredibly warm greeting, Quinn shoveled coal into the flames and stuck an iron in the forge. — Sarah Wood González, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shovel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shovel

Verb

That isn’t unusual for someone who draws and paints every day — but this latest dirt is real, dug from the ground in Yorkshire and Warwickshire, England, and used as the medium for her drawings of trees and landscapes.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
And writer Faran Krentcil digs through her dating and designer past to find out whether a partner’s dislike of your fashion sense means the relationship is doomed from the start.

— InStyle, InStyle, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of dig

Verb

When decades-old music or books are excavated and celebrated — lately a common occurrence amid the retromania of our culture industry — the artists are often long gone.

— Jack Denton, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Crews excavated an 8-acre basin in the infield to serve as a holding pond, while contractors rebuilt the culverts under the track and reinforced the road leading into it.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of excavate

Browse Nearby Words

shoved (off)

shovel

shoveled

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Style

“Shovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shovel. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shovel

verb

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