drill 1 of 3

noun

Definition of drillnext
1
as in routine
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity shuttling the kids between extracurricular activities is all part of the suburban drill

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2
as in exercise
something done over and over in order to develop skill doing vocabulary drills all afternoon in preparation for the test

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drill

2 of 3

verb (1)

ˈdril How to pronounce drill (audio)
1
as in to pierce
to make a hole or series of holes in the nerve-jangling sound when a dentist drills a tooth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shoot
to strike with a missile from a gun drilled the target from 100 yards away

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drill

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to plant
to put or set into the ground to grow he drills soybeans in the same rows with corn

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 drill
Noun
The fourth round pick threw two interceptions (one during 11-on-11 drills and another during 7-on-7 work). — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026 In Friday’s first red zone drill of training camp, Purdy wisely threw a ball that the 6-foot-5 Evans snatched high at the goal line, with an almost unnecessary leap against 5-foot-9 cornerback Upton Stout. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
The team’s entire draft class has participated in some fashion during special teams drills. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 Caleb Lomu again went 2-2 during individual pass rush drills, a roller-coaster performance for the first-round rookie who mostly drilled as the backup right tackle in team periods. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drill
  1. routine
  2. exercise
  3. pierce
  4. shoot
  5. plant
  6. grind
  7. practice
  8. punch
Noun
  • The team announced López had discomfort in his left knee during his warm-up routine.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Want to know what to wear to feel closer to yourself, how to update your home to meet a new phase of life, or ways to switch up a beauty routine during an important transit?
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of routine
Noun
  • Mental exercise can be just as enriching as physical activity.
    — Cathy M. Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • That would be news to Big Pharma, which has invested billions developing wildly popular obesity drugs, not to mention the decades of public-health campaigns devoted to diet, exercise and weight loss.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of exercise
Verb
  • Their headlamps piercing the watery dark, the group swims along (only Sara has accepted a life jacket), admiring the bats and stalactites while Wat reminds them to respect the caves.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • O’Connor’s face filled the screen, her crystal-blue eyes piercing me in my own living room.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 25 July 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • Colin Gray’s sentencing represents the end of a harrowing road that began with the September 2024 shooting in which his son, then 14, fatally shot two students and two teachers and injured nine others at his Winder, Georgia, high school.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • Basically, Georgia will never be able to do anything right in Emira’s eyes, so the messenger is getting shot.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of shoot
Verb
  • Aquifer levels have continued to drop as corporate farms and investors have planted vast almond and pistachio orchards.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
  • Trees take years to reach full canopy, which is why the best time to plant was a decade ago and the second best time is this season.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of plant
Noun
  • Robert Mynatt, the roastmaster at Volcanica Coffee, says that espresso requires an extremely fine grind, one that many home grinders (primarily blade grinders) are unable to evenly and consistently produce.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Goldman Sachs ' dealmaking prowess may grab all the glory, but the biggest driver of growth last quarter came from the daily-grind of equities trading.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of grind
Noun
  • His smiley story of slapping a $5 bill on Jalen Carter’s chest after the defensive tackle’s contract extension contributes to a preseason energy that feels a lot like when Hurts and Nick Sirianni rode out of practice together on a golf cart in 2024.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • There were certain days during camp — Family Day and the team's Friday Night Lights practice at nearby Greater Latrobe High School — when Heyward knew the intensity level would spike.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of practice
Verb
  • After arriving, the two got into an argument, during which Eason alleges Rodriguez punched him in the face with a closed fist.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
  • Police say that Salgado punched the victim and slammed him to the pavement.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Definition of punch

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Cite this Entry

“Drill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drill. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drill

Nglish: Translation of drill for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drill

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