Shovel vs. Spade — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 11, 2024
Shovels are tools with broad, flat, or slightly curved blades for moving material, while spades have sharper, flat blades for digging.
Difference Between Shovel and Spade
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Shovels are designed with a broad and often curved blade, facilitating the movement of loose materials such as soil, gravel, or snow. Whereas spades feature a flat, sharp-edged blade, making them ideal for cutting through soil and turf, specifically for the purpose of digging and shaping precise holes or edges.
The blade of a shovel is usually wider and has a rounded or pointed tip, which helps in scooping and lifting materials. On the other hand, the spade's blade is narrower with a straight edge, optimized for slicing into the ground and creating clean lines or boundaries in garden beds or lawns.
Shovels often come with a variety of blade shapes, including round, square, and scoop, each tailored to specific tasks such as digging, lifting, or moving materials. Spades, however, maintain a consistent blade shape that is best suited for digging and cutting into earth, with less variation in design.
The handle of a shovel may vary in length and design, with some models featuring long handles for leverage and others short for close work. Spades typically have shorter handles than shovels, designed for precise control and forceful digging, allowing gardeners to apply more direct pressure to the blade.
In terms of usage, shovels are versatile tools used in a wide range of activities, from gardening and construction to snow removal. Spades, while also used in gardening, are more specifically employed for tasks requiring precision, such as planting, edging, or shaping garden beds.
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Comparison Chart
Blade Shape
Broad and curved or pointed
Flat and sharp-edged
Primary Use
Moving materials like soil, gravel, or snow
Digging and cutting through soil
Blade Width
Wider, for scooping
Narrower, for precise work
Handle Length
Varies, can be long for leverage or short for close work
Typically shorter, for precision and control
Usage Context
Versatile: gardening, construction, snow removal
Specific: planting, edging, shaping garden beds
Compare with Definitions
Shovel
A tool for lifting, moving, or removing bulk materials.
He used the shovel to clear the driveway of snow.
Spade
A gardening tool with a sharp, flat blade for digging.
She used the spade to dig holes for the new plants.
Shovel
Used in a broad range of activities beyond gardening.
They used shovels for the construction project.
Spade
Less versatile than shovels, focused on digging and edging.
Gardeners prefer spades for their precision in planting and edging.
Shovel
Designed with a wider blade for scooping.
The wide blade of the shovel is perfect for scooping soil.
Spade
Features a straight-edged blade for clean cuts.
The spade made precise edges around the garden bed.
Shovel
Comes in various blade shapes for different tasks.
The square shovel is ideal for moving loose materials.
Spade
Typically has a shorter handle for control and precision.
The short handle of the spade offered more control while digging.
Shovel
Often has a longer handle for increased leverage.
The long handle on the shovel made it easier to dig.
Spade
Primarily used for tasks requiring precision in gardening.
For shaping the lawn edges, a spade is the best tool.
Shovel
A shovel is a tool for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Most shovels are hand tools consisting of a broad blade fixed to a medium-length handle.
Spade
A spade is a tool primarily for digging, comprising a blade – typically stunted and less curved than that of a shovel – and a long handle. Early spades were made of riven wood or of animal bones (often shoulder blades).
Shovel
A tool with a handle and a broad scoop or blade for digging and moving material, such as dirt or snow.
Spade
A sturdy digging tool having a thick handle and a heavy, flat blade that can be pressed into the ground with the foot.
Shovel
A large mechanical device or vehicle for heavy digging or excavation.
Spade
Any of various similar digging or cutting tools.
Shovel
The amount that a shovel can hold; a shovelful
One shovel of dirt.
Spade
A black, leaf-shaped figure on certain playing cards.
Shovel
To move or remove with a shovel.
Spade
A playing card with this figure.
Shovel
To make with a shovel
Shoveled a path through the snow.
Spade
Also spades (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure.
Shovel
To convey or throw in a rough or hasty way, as if with a shovel
He shoveled the food into his mouth.
Spade
Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a black person.
Shovel
To clear or excavate with or as if with a shovel
Shoveling off the driveway after the snowstorm.
Shovels out the hall closet once a year.
Spade
To dig or cut with a spade.
Shovel
To dig or work with a shovel.
Spade
A garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for digging. Not to be confused with a shovel which is used for moving earth or other materials.
Shovel
A hand tool with a handle, used for moving portions of material such as earth, snow, and grain from one place to another, with some forms also used for digging. Not to be confused with a spade, which is designed solely for small-scale digging and incidental tasks such as chopping of small roots.
Spade
A playing card marked with the symbol ♠.
I've got only one spade in my hand.
Shovel
A mechanical part of an excavator with a similar function.
Spade
A black person.
Shovel
(US) A spade.
Spade
A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale.
Shovel
To move materials with a shovel.
The workers were shovelling gravel and tarmac into the pothole in the road.
After the blizzard, we shoveled the driveway for the next two days.
I don't mind shoveling, but using a pickaxe hurts my back terribly.
Spade
A hart or stag three years old.
Shovel
To move with a shoveling motion.
Already late for work, I shovelled breakfast into my mouth as fast as possible.
Spade
A castrated man or animal.
Shovel
An implement consisting of a broad scoop, or more or less hollow blade, with a handle, used for lifting and throwing earth, coal, grain, or other loose substances.
Spade
To turn over soil with a spade to loosen the ground for planting.
Shovel
To take up and throw with a shovel; as, to shovel earth into a heap, or into a cart, or out of a pit.
Spade
A hart or stag three years old.
Shovel
To gather up as with a shovel.
Spade
A castrated man or beast.
Shovel
A hand tool for lifting loose material; consists of a curved container or scoop and a handle
Spade
An implement for digging or cutting the ground, consisting usually of an oblong and nearly rectangular blade of iron, with a handle like that of a shovel.
Shovel
The quantity a shovel can hold
Spade
One of that suit of cards each of which bears one or more figures resembling a spade.
"Let spades be trumps!" she said.
Shovel
A fire iron consisting of a small shovel used to scoop coals or ashes in a fireplace
Spade
A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale.
Shovel
A machine for excavating
Spade
To dig with a spade; to pare off the sward of, as land, with a spade.
Shovel
Dig with or as if with a shovel;
Shovel sand
He shovelled in the backyard all afternoon long
Spade
A playing card in the major suit of spades
Spade
A sturdy hand shovel that can be pushed into the earth with the foot
Spade
(ethnic slur) offensive name for a Black person;
Only a Black can call another Black a nigga
Spade
Dig (up) with a spade;
I spade compost into the flower beds
Common Curiosities
Can you use a spade for the same tasks as a shovel?
While you can use a spade for some shovel tasks, its design is optimized for digging and cutting, making it less ideal for moving materials.
Is one better than the other for gardening?
Neither is better; both serve different purposes. Shovels are great for moving soil or compost, while spades are better for precise digging and edging.
Why are spade blades sharp and flat?
Sharp, flat blades are designed to cut through soil and turf easily, making them ideal for creating clean lines in the garden.
What is the main difference between a shovel and a spade?
The main difference lies in their design; shovels are for moving materials with a broader blade, while spades have a sharper, flat blade for digging.
Can both be used in construction?
Shovels are more commonly used in construction for moving materials, while spades are less common but can be used for precise digging needs.
Why do spades have shorter handles?
Shorter handles provide more control and precision, which is necessary for the digging and edging tasks spades are designed for.
Are there different types of shovels for specific tasks?
Yes, shovels come in various blade shapes, including round, square, and scoop, each suited to specific tasks like digging, lifting, or moving materials.
Are there ergonomic designs for shovels and spades?
Yes, there are ergonomic designs that reduce strain on the back and hands, often featuring angled handles or special grips.
Can a shovel be used for snow removal?
Yes, shovels with a wide and slightly curved blade are often used for snow removal.
Why might someone prefer a long-handled shovel?
A long-handled shovel provides more leverage, making it easier to lift heavy materials or dig deep without bending too much.
Is it worth having both a shovel and a spade?
Yes, having both allows you to tackle a wider range of tasks efficiently, with each tool optimized for specific types of work.
How do you choose between a shovel and a spade?
Choose based on the task: use a shovel for moving materials and a spade for digging or precise garden work.
Do professional landscapers use both shovels and spades?
Yes, professional landscapers use both tools, choosing each based on the specific task at hand for efficiency and precision.
How do you maintain a shovel and spade?
Clean them after use, sharpen the blades as needed, and store them in a dry place to prevent rust.
Can a spade be used for planting?
Yes, spades are excellent for planting due to their precision and ability to dig clean holes.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
