drilled 1 of 2

verb (1)

past tense of drill
1
as in pierced
to make a hole or series of holes in the nerve-jangling sound when a dentist drills a tooth

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2
as in popped
to strike with a missile from a gun drilled the target from 100 yards away

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drilled

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of drill
as in planted
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 drilled
Verb
If that weren’t enough, after Toronto made a hoop, Salaun drilled another triple to clinch the win, putting her thumb and two fingers in the air on her way back down the court. — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 Gauff drilled her footwork, working to optimize her explosive speed for a slippery surface on which hard stops and aggressive sprinting can often backfire. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 Instead, Cole Carigg drilled a Scott slider for two-run double into the right-center gap to bring Castro and Karros home and tie the score. — Kyle Glaser, Oc Register, 7 July 2026 On his way to 25 points, Acuff made some sharp pick-and-roll reads, drilled some midrange pull-ups and drew a few and-1s. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 5 July 2026 Perkins retired the next two batters before Marsee drilled a homer to right to cap the six-run explosion. — Miami Herald, 4 July 2026 Moments later the ball bounced to Lamine Yamal, who drilled a shot that was blocked. — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026 About two-thirds of the 6,700 feet of 16 inch steel pipe beneath the river and crossing parts of the two parks would run through subterranean tunnels drilled by a high tech boring machine. — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 Lo Celso scored on a free kick; Martinez drilled a penalty kick after Julian Alvarez was kicked in the face while attempting a header. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drilled
  1. pierced
  2. popped
  3. planted
  4. punched
  5. plugged
  6. seeded
  7. poked
  8. shot
Verb
  • Even Good’s maroon Honda Pilot, the windshield pierced by Ross’s bullet, was bundled away by the FBI into a storage facility before state law enforcement could get a look at it.
    — Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
  • Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are just slightly tender when pierced with a fork or knife.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of pierced
Verb
  • Eli White popped a ball up to shallow center field for what should have been the third out.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
  • This time, Arsenal popped City 5-1 and Gabriel very much enjoyed laughing and celebrating in Haaland’s face.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of popped
Verb
  • His Hammness does show up, tongue planted firmly in his photogenic cheek, and reminds you that nobody does handsome-guy self-mockery better than Jon Hamm.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2026
  • At Wild Orchard Farmstead on South Korea’s enchanting Jeju Island, regenerative organic tea seeds are planted into the dark, pliable, nutrient-rich soil that allows its roots to grow as deep as the trees are tall.
    — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of planted
Verb
  • Adebayo approached Herro and, without hesitation, punched him.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
  • Multiple people then kicked and punched one person lying on the ground as a few attendees and ushers broke up the fight, the videos showed.
    — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of punched
Verb
  • However, that battery capacity allows the Spéirling Pure to cover a race distance of 25 to 31 miles (40 to 50 km) at maximum LMP2 pace before needing to be plugged back in.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 July 2026
  • Outdoor units usually have a large coil covered with fins and bristles that help regulate the temperature and flow of refrigerant, but these can get easily plugged with dirt, pollen, grass clippings, and other debris.
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 9 July 2026
Definition of plugged
Verb
  • Norway, for instance, has been a global leader in the transition away from fossil fuels and toward green energy despite the fact that its fund is seeded by oil revenues.
    — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • As one option, sources told Semafor that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has favored creating a sovereign wealth fund seeded by leading AI firms.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
Definition of seeded
Verb
  • After a scrappy passage of play in which Morocco failed to clear their lines, Desire Doue poked a loose ball to Mbappe on the left edge of the area.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • But Ecuador’s Gonzalo Plata stuck up his left foot, just in front of Neuer, and poked the ball into the net.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 27 June 2026
Definition of poked
Verb
  • Gilmore, who was near the stage, was shot in the head and died at the scene.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • The man who was shot has been identified as 33-year-old Corey Barnard, CMPD said in an update.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Definition of shot

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Cite this Entry

“Drilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilled. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of drilled for Spanish Speakers

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