Ditch
verb / noun
3rd person singular: ditches | present participle: ditching | past tense: ditched | past participle: ditched
Definition
1. A long, narrow hole in the ground for water.
2. To get rid of something or someone.
2. To get rid of something or someone.
Context Alive
The car skidded on the icy road and slid into a ditch on the side of the highway, its front wheels spinning uselessly in the muddy water. The driver climbed out soaking wet and called for a tow truck while traffic slowly passed by.
Meanings
2 meanings
1
Long Narrow Hole in the Ground (Noun) — VERY COMMON
Common
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This meaning is about a channel dug into the earth, usually along roads or fields. Imagine driving on a country road and seeing a deep ditch running alongside it, filled with rainwater draining away from the pavement. This is a ditch — a trench that carries water. You might see workers cleaning out a ditch clogged with leaves, or farmers dig ditches to drain flooded fields. Or picture construction crews digging a ditch to lay underground pipes before filling it back in. The word suggests something low, narrow, and functional.
Vivid ExampleAfter the heavy storm, the ditch beside our house overflowed with rushing water, flooding the garden and turning our backyard into a temporary muddy pond.
2
Get Rid of Something or Someone — Informal (Verb) — COMMON
Common
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This meaning is about abandoning or throwing away something you no longer want. Imagine a friend who suddenly ditches her boyfriend, breaking up with him out of nowhere and moving on with her life immediately. This is ditching someone — getting rid of them quickly. You might ditch an old phone for a newer model, or someone could ditch their boring job for an exciting opportunity. Or think about teenagers who ditch class to hang out at the mall instead of studying. The word carries a casual, sometimes careless feeling.
Vivid ExampleShe finally ditched her unreliable car after it broke down for the fifth time, trading it in for something newer that she could actually depend on.
Examples from the Street
“The car skidded off the road and ended up in a ditch.”
The vehicle slid off the street and landed in a narrow channel beside the road
“I’m going to ditch work early and go to the beach.”
I’m going to skip out on my job early and head to the seaside
“She ditched her boyfriend after finding out he’d lied to her.”
She dumped her partner after discovering he’d been dishonest
Common Patterns
in a/the ditch → inside the narrow channel beside a road
end up/land in a ditch → crash or fall into the roadside channel
drainage ditch → channel for carrying away water
roadside ditch → channel running alongside a road
dig a ditch → create a channel in the ground
ditch someone → abandon or dump a person
ditch work/school/class → skip or not attend
ditch the plan/idea → abandon or give up on something
ditch the car → abandon a vehicle
decide to ditch → choose to abandon or skip
ditch a plane → make an emergency landing in water
be forced to ditch → have no choice but to land in water
Collocations
4 collocationsditch the plan
abandon a strategy completely
ditch school
skip classes without permission
ditch someone
leave or abandon a person suddenly
last-ditch effort
a final desperate attempt
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
The truck lost control on the icy road and ended up in a ditch
The lorry skidded on the frozen street and landed in the channel beside the road.
2
Farmers use drainage ditches to prevent fields from flooding
Agricultural workers use water channels to stop their land from becoming waterlogged.
3
He ditched his girlfriend by text message — how cowardly!
He dumped his partner via a mobile phone message — what a spineless thing to do!
4
Let’s ditch this boring party and go somewhere fun
Let’s leave this dull gathering and find somewhere enjoyable.
5
She decided to ditch the plan and start fresh with a new approach
She chose to abandon the strategy and begin again with a different method.
6
The teenagers ditched school to go to the cinema
The young people skipped their lessons to watch a film.
7
The thieves ditched the car in a car park and escaped on foot
The robbers abandoned the vehicle in a parking area and fled by running.
8
The pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft in the ocean after engine failure
The aviator had no choice but to land the plane in the sea after the motors stopped working.
9
I’m thinking of ditching my old phone and getting the latest model
I’m considering getting rid of my current mobile and buying the newest version.
10
Don’t ditch me at the party — I won’t know anyone else there
Don’t abandon me at the gathering — I won’t be familiar with anybody else present.
Learner Examples
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Some students ditch class when they haven’t done their homework, but this only makes things worse
Some learners skip their lessons when they haven’t completed their assignments, but this only creates bigger problems.
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Don’t ditch your study plan just because you missed a few days — get back on track instead
Don’t abandon your learning schedule just because you skipped a few sessions — resume your routine instead.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
2 items Idioms & Expressionslast-ditch effort — final desperate attempt
In a last-ditch effort, she called the manager directly.
ditch and run — abandon and leave quickly
He ditched and ran when the situation got too complicated.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsabandon
leaving something behind
dump
informal — getting rid of
drop
stopping or giving up on
get rid of
removing something unwanted
Antonymskeep
holding on to something
stick with
continuing with something