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
Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Rustin drilled Selva one last time on complex equations and imperial history.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Little drilled a 68-yard field goal in a 30-29 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders to set the record for the longest field goal made in NFL history.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
The prototype drilled through ice samples about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long under vacuum and cryogenic conditions during laboratory experiments, and at greater depths in field tests in the Alps and Arctic, reaching depths of more than a meter in snow.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Sunday, Anderson zipped past McKivitz and drilled Jones on a third-down incompletion for a speedy 3-and-out after halftime, keeping the 49ers behind 16-7.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025
Gianluca Consentino drilled the go-ahead extra point try, and Avon Old Farms had seized a 29-28 lead with 63 ticks left.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
The Jays’ leadoff hitter also reached safely against Yamamoto in the following two innings, first on an infield popup with a 100 percent catch probability that Freddie Freeman overran, then when Yamamoto drilled George Springer on the wrist.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Freshman kicker Lukasz Smolen, who comes to Charlotte from London, drilled a 21-yard field goal.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Kicker Kyson Scott drilled it, giving Lake Ridge a 38-20 lead at halftime.
—Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Rustin drilled Selva one last time on complex equations and imperial history.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Little drilled a 68-yard field goal in a 30-29 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders to set the record for the longest field goal made in NFL history.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
The prototype drilled through ice samples about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long under vacuum and cryogenic conditions during laboratory experiments, and at greater depths in field tests in the Alps and Arctic, reaching depths of more than a meter in snow.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Sunday, Anderson zipped past McKivitz and drilled Jones on a third-down incompletion for a speedy 3-and-out after halftime, keeping the 49ers behind 16-7.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025
Gianluca Consentino drilled the go-ahead extra point try, and Avon Old Farms had seized a 29-28 lead with 63 ticks left.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
The Jays’ leadoff hitter also reached safely against Yamamoto in the following two innings, first on an infield popup with a 100 percent catch probability that Freddie Freeman overran, then when Yamamoto drilled George Springer on the wrist.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Freshman kicker Lukasz Smolen, who comes to Charlotte from London, drilled a 21-yard field goal.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilled. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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