dig up

2 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 find information, especially something hidden or forgotten B2
  2. 2 take something out of the ground by digging B1
1 dig sth up

find information, especially something hidden or forgotten

B2

What does "dig up" mean in this sense?

To dig up information means to actively search for and find something that was hidden, forgotten, or difficult to access. It's not about stumbling across something by chance — the phrase implies real effort and deliberate digging around. The information uncovered is often sensitive, embarrassing, or something that someone would prefer stayed buried. You'll frequently see this phrase used in journalism, political reporting, and investigative contexts, but it also appears naturally in everyday conversation. Compared to a more neutral word like 'uncover', 'dig up' carries a slightly more loaded feeling, suggesting the finder had to work hard and that what they found is probably unflattering.

Examples

How to use it

dig up + information/evidence/secrets

The most common pattern — 'dig up' takes an abstract informational noun as its object, placed after the particle.

The documentary team spent months trying to dig up evidence of corporate wrongdoing.

dig + object + up (short noun phrase)

With shorter noun phrases, the object can go between the verb and particle for natural separation.

A rival campaign tried to dig some damaging footage up before the election.

dig + pronoun + up

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between 'dig' and 'up' — it cannot come after the particle.

We knew the information existed somewhere, and eventually we dug it up.

be dug up (passive)

The passive form works well when the focus is on the information itself rather than the person who found it, especially in journalistic writing.

Old financial records were dug up that cast serious doubt on the CEO's claims.

manage to / try to / be able to + dig up

Because 'dig up' implies effort, it often pairs with verbs that emphasise attempt or achievement.

After weeks of research, the reporter was finally able to dig up the original contracts.

Common Collocations

dig up dirtdig up evidencedig up the pastdig up old recordsdig up informationdig up secrets

Common Mistakes

Pronoun after the particle

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'dig' and 'up'. Placing it after the particle is ungrammatical in English.

✗ She searched everywhere but couldn't dig up it.
✓ She searched everywhere but couldn't dig it up.
Confusing 'dig up' with 'bring up'

'Bring up' means to mention a topic in conversation, while 'dig up' means to actively research and find hidden information. They describe very different actions — one is about speaking, the other about discovering.

✗ He dug up his concerns about the plan during the meeting.
✓ He brought up his concerns about the plan during the meeting.
Using 'dig up' for accidental discoveries

'Dig up' implies deliberate effort and searching — it shouldn't be used when someone finds something by chance. Use 'come across' or 'stumble upon' for accidental finds.

✗ I dug up an old photo while I was randomly flicking through a magazine.
✓ I came across an old photo while I was randomly flicking through a magazine.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral to slightly informal and works well in both spoken and written English, especially in news and investigative contexts. It often implies that the discovered information is embarrassing or sensitive, so avoid using it when the discovery is positive or neutral.

2 dig sth up

take something out of the ground by digging

B1

Sense 2: What does "dig sth up" mean?

To dig up something means to remove it from the ground by digging. This is the everyday term used in gardening when you pull out plants, vegetables, or roots, and in construction when workers break open roads or pavements to reach pipes or cables underground. It can also describe the discovery of buried objects, such as when archaeologists dig up old bones or artefacts. The key idea is that something is physically lifted out of the ground. This phrasal verb is neutral in tone and works equally well in conversation and in written descriptions, such as news reports about roadworks.

Examples

How to use it

dig up + object

The most common pattern, used when the object is a noun phrase placed after the particle.

The gardener dug up all the weeds before planting new flowers.

dig + object + up

With short noun objects, separation is very natural and common in everyday speech.

The potatoes are ready — let's dig the whole row up this afternoon.

dig + pronoun + up

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between the verb and the particle.

That old tree is blocking the path, so we'll have to dig it up.

be being / be dug up

The passive form is natural, especially in descriptions of construction work or excavations.

The old pipes along the main street are being dug up and replaced.

dig up + the road / pavement / garden

These collocations are especially common and are often used to describe construction or garden work in progress.

They're digging up the road outside the school to lay new cables.

Common Collocations

the roada bodyplantsbonespotatoesthe garden

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'dig' and 'up'. Putting the pronoun after 'up' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ She dug up it with a small spade.
✓ She dug it up with a small spade.
Confusing 'dig up' with 'dig out'

'Dig up' focuses on lifting something out of the ground, while 'dig out' is used for clearing something from a confined space or retrieving something stored away. They are not always interchangeable.

✗ The builders dug out the old water pipes from under the road.
✓ The builders dug up the old water pipes from under the road.
Using 'dig up' for abstract objects

'Dig up' in this physical sense only works with tangible things that are literally in the ground. If the object is something abstract like information or facts, that is a different figurative sense of the phrasal verb.

✗ She dug up some interesting details about the company's history. [if intending the physical sense]
✓ She dug up an old coin while clearing the garden.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. It is especially common in the present continuous (e.g. 'They're digging up the road') when describing construction or work in progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'dig up' always suggest something negative or embarrassing?

Not always, but it does carry that connotation more often than not. 'Dig up' tends to be used when the information is sensitive, scandalous, or something that was deliberately hidden. If you're discovering something straightforwardly positive, neutral words like 'find' or 'uncover' tend to sound more natural.

Can I use 'dig up' in the present continuous — like 'I'm digging up information'?

It can work, but only if you want to emphasise that the searching process is actively happening right now. In most cases, the simple present or present perfect sounds more natural — for example, 'I've been trying to dig up some information' works better than 'I'm digging up information' in most contexts.

What kinds of objects can follow 'dig up' in this sense?

The object should always be something abstract and informational — things like dirt, evidence, secrets, old records, documents, facts, or details. If the object is something physical that could literally be in the ground, like soil or a pipe, that would be a completely different meaning of 'dig up'.

Is 'dig up' informal, or can I use it in professional writing?

It sits in a neutral-to-informal range, so it's fine in most everyday and professional contexts, including journalism and online reporting. For very formal academic or legal writing, you might prefer 'uncover' or 'reveal', but 'dig up' is widely accepted across a broad range of styles.

What's the difference between 'dig up' and 'uncover' when talking about finding information?

'Uncover' is slightly more formal and neutral — it doesn't tell you much about how hard the person worked. 'Dig up' specifically implies active, effortful searching, and often hints that the person had to look through old records, reluctant sources, or buried history to find what they were looking for.

Does 'dig up' always mean something physical, or can it mean something else?

This entry covers the physical meaning — removing something from the ground by digging. However, 'dig up' also has a figurative meaning related to finding hidden information, such as 'dig up evidence'. The context and the type of object usually make the meaning clear — if it's a plant, pipe, or bone, it's the physical sense.

What kinds of things can you 'dig up'?

Common objects include plants, potatoes, weeds, roots, and bulbs in gardening contexts, and pipes, cables, and pavements in construction. In archaeology or historical contexts, you might dig up bones, coins, artefacts, or buried treasure. The object should always be something physical that is literally in or under the ground.

Can 'dig up' be used in the passive?

Yes, the passive is very natural with this phrasal verb. You'll often see it in news reports or descriptions of work in progress, for example: 'The old gas pipes are being dug up and replaced.' This form is useful when the focus is on what is being removed rather than who is doing the digging.

Why is the present continuous so common with 'dig up'?

Digging is typically an ongoing activity, so the present continuous ('they're digging up the road') is a very natural way to describe it as it happens. You'll hear this especially when talking about construction work or gardening tasks that are in progress at the moment of speaking.

Related Phrasal Verbs

dredge sth up

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