⛏️ To make a hole 🧠 To understand 🏺 An excavation 👈 To poke hard 😏 A sarcastic remark 💪 To work hard ☝️ A quick poke

to dig

23 2.6

To work hard at a task for a long time

verb
/dɪg/

: trabajar duro

To succeed in difficult tasks, it is important to dig deep and stay focused.
dig deep
dig deeper
dig hard

So it's also humbled us too, to really dig down even further and.

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Examples

You're faced with the decision, either to give up or to dig deeper than you realized was possible.

Blog text (24)
So I suggest that you keep on digging, finding the clues.
I just had to really dig and dig and dig and dig again, which was difficult.
And you should, you know, really dig in on him.
You just have to maybe dig for it a little bit.
You have to dig deep, deep inside of you.

HIM (2025)
All I could do is dig into the work that was in front of me and leave the outcome as it is.
I noticed how hard she dug to find the pieces.

Fiction book (1997)
Going forward, I want to dig deeper and highlight more of this tool and my process.

Blog text (21)
And when life knocks you down, you got to dig deep and knock back.

Synonyms

to grind

vsto dig

60 3.7

To work hard for a long time at a dull or repeated task

focuses on continuous effort without implying dull repetition

to toil

vsto dig

35 5.3

To work very hard for a long time

shows sustained effort but not necessarily extreme hardship

to labor

vsto dig

26 2.7

To work hard on difficult physical tasks

emphasizes sustained persistence rather than harsh external conditions

to plug away

vsto dig

Informal

6 5.2

To work slowly and steadily on a difficult task

describes general persistent effort without the steady determined focus

to drudge

vsto dig

1 7.0

To work hard at boring, repetitive tasks for a long time

expresses sustained effort not limited to low status or dull work

to travail

vsto dig

Literature

1 9.0

To work hard for a long time and suffer

means sustained effort without the specific sense of suffering

to moil

vsto dig

Archaic

1 9.9

To work very hard, often at a physical or long job

describes effort without the strong physical or monotonous focus

to slug away at

vsto dig

Informal

6.3

To keep working hard on a difficult or long task

stresses sustained effort rather than long duration or hardship

to fag

vsto dig

9.9

To work very hard until you feel tired

refers to persistent effort rather than causing tiredness in others

Antonyms

to give up

∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

to slack off

Informal

3 3.9

To become less strong or busy

Idioms

to dig one's own grave

Informal

3 7.1

To do something that makes you fail

to dig in one's heels

Informal

1 6.7

Refuse to change an opinion or plan when pressed

to dig a hole for oneself

Informal

7.9

To cause problems for yourself because of your actions

Phrasal Verbs

to dig up

139 2.0

To take something out of the ground by digging

to dig into

Informal

70 3.7

To look at something carefully, often by searching under the surface

to dig deep

43 4.4

Search carefully to find hidden facts or details

to dig in

29 6.9

To prepare a position in a trench to protect soldiers from attack

to dig in

Informal

21 1.9

To start eating eagerly, often at a shared meal

to dig out

21 3.4

Find and take out something that is hidden or forgotten

to dig out

14 3.2

Remove something that is under the ground or snow using a shovel

to dig up dirt

Informal

9 6.5

Look for and tell secret or bad things about someone to harm them

to dig a trench

2 3.5

To make a long narrow hole in the ground for pipes or to carry water away

to dig out of a hole

6.9

To get out of a difficult situation after mistakes or bad luck

Compounds

infra dig

Archaic

1 9.9

A thing people see as below a person's status and not socially acceptable

How Hard

to toil

35 5.3

to slog

5 6.7

to dig

23 2.6

work

∞ 1.0

to try

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

dig infinitive

digging present participle

digs third person singular

dug past

dug past participle

Etymology

The word dig used for working hard comes from the picture of someone digging in the ground, working steadily and with effort. That's why to dig away at a task means to keep working on it with persistence.