backhoe

noun

back·​hoe ˈbak-ˌhō How to pronounce backhoe (audio)
: an excavating machine having a bucket that is attached to a rigid bar hinged to a boom and that is drawn toward the machine in operation

Examples of backhoe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With Assad's ouster in December, Halaby, now 29, returned to his neighborhood of Jobar, on the edge of Damascus, to watch a backhoe unearth the remains of at least eight of his comrades from a mass grave. Lauren Frayer, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025 Nearby, a crew of workers with a backhoe were working to attempt to repair the source of the leak. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2025 However, some people can access a skid steer, farm tractor, backhoe, or forklift. Daniel Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025 Roads connecting towns and outlying villages were torn and twisted, slowing rescue and relief efforts, including the delivery of heavy machinery such as excavators and backhoes. Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backhoe

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backhoe was in 1928

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backhoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backhoe. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

backhoe

noun
back·​hoe -ˌhō How to pronounce backhoe (audio)
: a large machine that digs into the earth with a metal scoop drawn toward the machine

More from Merriam-Webster on backhoe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!