Ditch — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈdich/

Meaning & Definition of Ditch

Ditch (noun)

  1. a long narrow excavation dug in the earth (as for drainage)

Ditch (verb)

  1. to surround with a long narrow cavity in the earth, to enclose with a ditch
  2. to dig a ditch in
  3. to make a forced landing of (an airplane) on water

Ditch (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a long narrow channel dug in the earth

    "after skidding on the ice, our car went right into the ditch"

    similar: dike, fosse, gutter, sheugh (chiefly Scottish), trench, trough
    related: acequia (Southwest), culvert, drain, draw, gully, ravine, drill, furrow, ha-ha, moat, stank (British dialect), sunk fence, kennel

Ditch (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to end a usually intimate relationship with

    "ditched his wife for a woman 30 years his junior"

    similar: blow off, break off (with), dump, jilt, kiss off, leave, kiss good-bye
    related: brush (aside or off), cold-shoulder, cut, high-hat, slight, snub, abandon, desert, forsake, maroon, quit
    near: hook up (with), take, befriend, latch (on or onto)

  2. to get rid of as useless or unwanted

    "we ditched the old table at the town dump"

    similar: cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, discard, dump, eighty-six, exorcise, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, lose, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload, dispose of, set aside
    related: abandon, abdicate, desert, forsake, dismiss, kick out, abolish, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, liquidate, remove, root (out), stamp (out), wipe out
    near: adopt, embrace, take on, employ, use, utilize, hold, hold back, keep, retain

Related Entry: Last ditch (noun)

Last ditch is a different word from Ditch. The synonyms below are for last ditch, not for ditch.

  1. as in spot, hot water

    similar: corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot, deadlock, impasse, stalemate, eleventh hour, last minute, condition, pass, situation, strait, happening, landmark, milestone, climax, turning point, contingency, possibility, boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ditch

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ditch:

Chiefly Scottish: sheugh
dike, fosse, gutter, trench, trough, blow off, break off (with), dump, jilt, kiss off, leave, cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, discard, eighty-six, exorcise, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, lose, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload, kiss good-bye, dispose of, set aside

Related Words for Ditch

acequia, culvert, drain, draw, gully, ravine, drill, furrow, ha-ha, moat, stank, sunk fence, kennel, brush (aside or off), cold-shoulder, cut, high-hat, slight, snub, abandon, desert, forsake, maroon, quit, abdicate, dismiss, kick out, abolish, annihilate, eliminate

Near Antonyms of Ditch

hook up (with), take, befriend, latch (on or onto), adopt, embrace, take on, employ, use, utilize, hold, hold back, keep, retain

Word Forms of Ditch

Inflections: ditched, ditching, ditches

Origin & Etymology of Ditch

Middle English dich, from Old English dīc dike, ditch; akin to Middle High German tīch pond, dike

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Ditch

last-ditch, last ditch

Frequently Asked Questions about Ditch

What does "Ditch" mean?

"Ditch" means a long narrow excavation dug in the earth (as for drainage). As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a long narrow excavation dug in the earth (as for drainage). It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ditch"?

Other words for "Ditch" include dike, fosse, gutter, sheugh, trench, trough, blow off and break off (with). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ditch" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ditch"?

There are 77 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ditch". Common alternatives include dike, fosse, gutter, sheugh, trench, trough, blow off, break off (with), dump and jilt.

How do you use "Ditch" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ditch" in a sentence: "after skidding on the ice, our car went right into the ditch"; "ditched his wife for a woman 30 years his junior"; "we ditched the old table at the town dump".

Is "Ditch" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ditch" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Ditch"?

"Ditch" is pronounced /ˈdich/.

What is the origin of the word "Ditch"?

"Ditch" comes from Middle English dich, from Old English dīc dike, ditch; akin to Middle High German tīch pond, dike. First known use: before 12th century.

What is another word for "Ditch" meaning "a long narrow channel dug in the earth"?

When "Ditch" (noun) means a long narrow channel dug in the earth, synonyms include dike, fosse, gutter, sheugh, trench and trough.