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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Recent Examples of drilled
Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026
Braylen James drilled a two-RBI single followed by a Jaxon Casselberry sacrifice fly that narrowed the SCS lead to 8-4.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Petty then drilled a 3 to extend the lead to 16 points.
—Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Wembanyama drilled a 17-foot jumper with a second left to give the Spurs a 101-100 win over the Phoenix Suns Thursday night at the Frost Bank Center to send the Spurs back to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Valparaiso’s team, all three of them juniors, focused on limiting fossil fuels’ impact on the environment, while Chesterton’s team, all of them seniors, drilled home the impact on water scarcity when data centers are concentrated in areas where sufficient green energy sources are available.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
White drilled 3-pointers on Boston’s first three possessions of the period, then hit his fifth of the game with two minutes to play in the half.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
The dividends had been on display well before the right-handed-hitting Miranda drilled a ball off the base of the scoreboard at Hohokam Stadium on Friday.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Ayton scored four of his nine points in overtime and Smart drilled an important three-pointer late as the Lakers (42-25) won their fifth straight game and moved back into third place in the West with 15 games remaining.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
In times of need, oil wells could be drilled in those regions to produce fuel for the Navy.
—Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026
Braylen James drilled a two-RBI single followed by a Jaxon Casselberry sacrifice fly that narrowed the SCS lead to 8-4.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Petty then drilled a 3 to extend the lead to 16 points.
—Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Wembanyama drilled a 17-foot jumper with a second left to give the Spurs a 101-100 win over the Phoenix Suns Thursday night at the Frost Bank Center to send the Spurs back to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Valparaiso’s team, all three of them juniors, focused on limiting fossil fuels’ impact on the environment, while Chesterton’s team, all of them seniors, drilled home the impact on water scarcity when data centers are concentrated in areas where sufficient green energy sources are available.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
White drilled 3-pointers on Boston’s first three possessions of the period, then hit his fifth of the game with two minutes to play in the half.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
The dividends had been on display well before the right-handed-hitting Miranda drilled a ball off the base of the scoreboard at Hohokam Stadium on Friday.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Ayton scored four of his nine points in overtime and Smart drilled an important three-pointer late as the Lakers (42-25) won their fifth straight game and moved back into third place in the West with 15 games remaining.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilled. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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