Meaning & use
dredging
Last updated
“dredging” is a form of “dredge”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The act or process of removing mud, sand, or other material from the bottom of a river, harbor, or other body of water.
Grammar: Uncountable; used to talk about the activity in general, not individual instances.
Patterns
- dredging of something
- dredging for something
The dredging of the harbor allowed larger ships to enter.
Dredging is necessary to keep the shipping channel deep enough.
Environmental groups are concerned about the effects of dredging on marine life.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Present participle of dredge: to clean out or deepen a body of water by removing material from the bottom.
Grammar: Can be used with an object (dredge a river) or without (they are dredging).
Patterns
- dredging something
- dredging for something
They are dredging the canal to improve navigation.
The company has been dredging for oysters in the bay.
Workers were dredging the river mouth to prevent flooding.
Common combinations
- dredging operation
- The dredging operation will last several months.
- dredging project
- The city approved a new dredging project for the marina.
- dredging equipment
- Heavy dredging equipment was brought in to clear the silt.
- dredging spoil
- The dredging spoil was dumped far out at sea.
Synonyms and how they differ
- excavation
- More general; can refer to digging on land as well as underwater.
- cleaning
- Broader and less technical; does not specifically imply removing material from water.
Word family
Commonly confused: dredging or dredge?
dredging vs dredge
Dredge is the base verb or the machine; dredging is the activity or the -ing form.
Practice
What does 'dredging' mean in the sentence: 'The port authority is dredging the channel to allow bigger ships.'?
Choose one answer.
Dredging means removing material from the bottom of a body of water to make it deeper. The other options do not match the meaning of the word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dredging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.