drone 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈdrōn How to pronounce drone (audio)
Definition of dronenext
1
as in slug
a lazy person those drones just lie around while we do all the work

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work after lunch my fellow drones and I shuffle back to our cubicles

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

drone

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion heard the drone of an airplane overhead

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drone

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound the sound of droning bees all around us

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2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing instead of getting a job, he preferred to drone and live off his parents

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drone
Noun
Wildberries also reported that its warehouse in Sarapul in the region of Udmurtia was struck by a Ukrainian drone and set ablaze. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 In most instances, the handbook largely accepts the notion that rogue drones will appear and focuses on how to cope with them afterwards by negating their effects. — Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Verb
Instead, there’s a surplus of annoying, droning noise. — Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 11 June 2026 There’s no sound more evocative of summer than that of an old-school ice cream maker’s motor droning its monotonous naaaaaaaa with the backbeat of gas station ice and rock salt grinding and shifting against the spinning ice cream cannister. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for drone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drone
  1. slug
  2. laborer
  3. hum
  4. buzz
  5. lounge
  6. snail
  7. worker
  8. purr
Noun
  • Unfortunately, night watering creates the perfect conditions for slugs and pathogens to thrive.
    — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 23 July 2026
  • Baking soda can help prevent powdery mildew, kill weeds, repel slugs, and clean produce, but must be used sparingly.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
Definition of slug
Noun
  • Unfortunately, during the early to mid-twentieth century, negative perceptions of immigrant and ethnic laborers led many outsiders to view their neighborhoods as unsafe, unclean, and detrimental to the social fabric of American cities.
    — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • The El Niño effects, in combination with the high fertilizer costs, will likely reduce opportunities for agricultural work while also increasing the amount that food laborers – among the poorest people – have to spend on produce.
    — Peter Hailey, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
Definition of laborer
Noun
  • Scattered on the dunes, the surviving population of Gaza was reduced to bare existence, subject to unrelenting hunger and thirst under the ever-present hum of killer drones and bomber jets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • At Maywood’s Riverfront Park, Ma was accompanied by the vroom of nearby traffic, cascade of a yucca rainstick and burbling hum of a water synth.
    — Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of hum
Verb
  • The building garnered buzz across town, particularly for breaking ground in an area that is still recovering from the effects of Covid-19.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2026
  • The Philippines had 10 ships, three of which came from its coast guard; a small Philippine government propeller plane also buzzed low above the vessels during the mission.
    — Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • While lounging poolside, the British model and niece of Princess Diana brought the heat in a red-hot triangle bikini held together by a tiny gold ring.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026
  • Beachgoers hoping to lounge or swim can simply grab a spot on the sand and enjoy the view.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
Definition of lounge
Noun
  • With construction, egg masses buried beneath sand may not survive, and dredging can also release pollutants, including heavy metals, that could affect the iconic snail.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
  • Several studies have found that snail mucus secretions can kill bacteria and prevent skin infections from worsening, especially when applied to wounds.
    — Laura Dorwart, Health, 22 July 2026
Definition of snail
Noun
  • The building appears to be still in the framing stage with workers making adjustments to the concrete pylons as cars zip past.
    — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • From a human trafficking sweep, to a mistrial in the K Street mass shooting case, to a look at a state worker Reddit community, here’s a rundown of the top Sacramento stories on July 21.
    — Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of worker
Noun
  • Wafting odors of 100-octane gasoline and rumbling purrs of V8 engines punched through the overcast morning at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday as the Velocity Invitational car meet entered its second day.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
  • But a growing body of research suggests some of the most therapeutic sounds on earth are already in your home — your cat’s purr, rain on the window, birdsong outside.
    — Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
Definition of purr

Browse Nearby Words

drolls
drone
droned
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Cite this Entry

“Drone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drone. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drone

Nglish: Translation of drone for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drone

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