dredge up
phrasal verb
dredged up; dredging up; dredges up
: to start talking or thinking again about (something unpleasant that happened a long time ago)
Reporters dredged up the fact that the senator avoided the military draft.
She didn't like to dredge up bad memories.
Examples of dredge up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Throughout the picture, Shula and other girls are told not to dredge up the past, or do anything that could harm their extended family’s unity and stability.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
But rather than raise alarm, her listless demeanor ends up dredging up difficult conversations with her mother (Betty Buckley), her friends (Samantha Mathis and Robin Tunney) and later still with a creepy, stalking neighbor (Clifton Collins Jr.).
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025
What dredged up memories are about to explode all over Alden’s life?
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 10 Dec. 2024
But here came the 2024 White Sox, to dredge up their own brand of 21-game losing-streak fun from July 10 to Aug. 5.
—Jayson Stark, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dredge up
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.
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
But rather than raise alarm, her listless demeanor ends up dredging up difficult conversations with her mother (Betty Buckley), her friends (Samantha Mathis and Robin Tunney) and later still with a creepy, stalking neighbor (Clifton Collins Jr.).
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025
What dredged up memories are about to explode all over Alden’s life?
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 10 Dec. 2024
But here came the 2024 White Sox, to dredge up their own brand of 21-game losing-streak fun from July 10 to Aug. 5.
—Jayson Stark, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dredge up
Cite this Entry
“Dredge up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dredge%20up. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share