Meaning & use
digging
Last updated
“digging” is a form of “dig”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The activity of breaking up and moving earth, especially in a garden or at an archaeological site.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: 'Digging is hard work.' No plural form.
Patterns
- do some digging
- digging for something
The digging in the garden took all morning.
Archaeologists began digging at the site last week.
He does a lot of digging in his vegetable patch.
noununcountableinformal
The act of searching for information, often secretly or persistently.
Grammar: Usually in the phrase 'do some digging' or 'digging into something'.
Patterns
- do some digging
- digging into something
I did some digging and found out he used to work there.
Her digging into the company's past uncovered a scandal.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Present participle of 'dig'; in the process of breaking up earth or searching.
Grammar: Used after auxiliary verbs: 'He is digging a hole.' Can take an object or not.
Patterns
- be digging something
- be digging for something
She is digging a hole for the new tree.
They were digging for buried treasure.
Stop digging yourself into a deeper mess.
Word forms
| base form | dig |
|---|---|
| third person singular | digs |
| past tense | dug |
| past participle | dug |
Common combinations
- digging in
- As soon as the food arrived, everyone started digging in.
- digging up
- The dog kept digging up the flower beds.
- digging for
- They are digging for gold in the river.
- digging into
- The reporter is digging into the politician's financial records.
- do some digging
- If you do some digging, you'll find the truth.
Synonyms and how they differ
- excavation
- More formal and often used for large archaeological or construction projects, while 'digging' is the everyday activity.
- burrowing
- Used for animals making holes or tunnels, not usually for people gardening.
Word family
Commonly confused: digging or dig in?
digging vs dig in
This is a phrasal verb meaning to start eating or to settle in; 'digging in' is its -ing form, not a separate word.
Practice
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'The children are ___ a hole in the sand.'
Choose one answer.
After 'are', we need the present participle '-ing' form to make the present continuous tense. 'Dig' is the base form, 'dug' is past tense, and 'digs' is third person singular, so they don't fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “digging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.