Synonyms of drill

drill 1 of 3

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• routine
• grind
• groove
• rut
• pattern
• rote
• treadmill
• technique
• lockstep
• practice
• habit
• method
• strategy
• program
• plan
• procedure
• regimen
• approach
• tradition
• trick
• tack
• style
• housekeeping
• custom
• scheme
• design
• policy
• manner
• daily dozen
• way
• fashion
• wont
• convention

2

as in exercise

something done over and over in order to develop skill

doing vocabulary drills all afternoon in preparation for the test

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exercise
• practice
• training
• lesson
• workout
• routine
• homework
• assignment
• refresher
• brushup
• review

drill

2 of 3

verb (1)

ˈdril 

1

as in to pierce

to make a hole or series of holes in

the nerve-jangling sound when a dentist drills a tooth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pierce
• punch
• hole
• poke
• bore
• puncture
• perforate
• tap
• cut
• penetrate
• riddle
• excavate
• break
• broach
• hollow
• split
• prick
• slash
• slit
• gouge
• groove
• burrow (into)
• rupture
• rend
• notch
• prickle
• gash

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fill
• patch
• seal
• plug

2

as in to shoot

to strike with a missile from a gun

drilled the target from 100 yards away

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shoot
• gun
• pop
• plug
• kill
• drop
• destroy
• slay
• slaughter
• blow away
• fire (at)
• bring down
• shoot down
• pick off
• blast (at)
• pepper
• machine-gun
• butcher
• massacre
• wipe out
• snipe (at)
• shotgun
• dispatch
• blaze
• pistol
• ice
• fell
• potshot
• blot out
• decimate
• annihilate
• tommy-gun
• croak
• do in

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plant
• put in
• seed
• sow
• bed
• replant
• broadcast
• transplant
• pot
• scatter
• reseed
• overseed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gather
• reap
• harvest

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drill

Noun

There, Santa shares the route with festive chickens, dancing grannies, and a drill team armed with actual power drills. — Sarah Bisacca, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2026

But hardening schools and practicing lockdown drills, among other steps to reduce school shootings, are not making young people feel safer. — Nina Vinik, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Verb

Unlike woodpeckers, which mostly use their neck muscles to drill, Akis employ their entire body’s momentum, from feet to beak, to slam into the wood. — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 5 Nov. 2026

The contracts involve subsea production systems and pipelines, a floating control unit and drilling rig services. — ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026