1
as in piercing
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 shooting
to strike with a missile from a gun
drilled the target from 100 yards away
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as in planting
to put or set into the ground to grow
he drills soybeans in the same rows with corn
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Recent Examples of drilling
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Miles came out aggressive, scoring 11 of TCU’s 19 points in the first quarter, including drilling a 3-pointer.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
Participants can watch Forest Preserve District naturalists demonstrate how to tap a maple tree, then try drilling and setting their own tap, according to a press release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
In its pitch to investors, Fervo includes talking points about how next-generation geothermal uses drilling technology from the oil and gas industry.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Jan. 2026
Egor Dëmin sparked Brooklyn’s first real punch, drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to stop the bleeding.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Most recommend drilling 1-inch holes an inch or so deep in the surface of the stump, filling the holes with the chemical remover, and covering the stump with a tarp to keep children and pets safely away.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Trial confirms drilling and monitoring capabilities According to China Daily, the robot was developed by the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS), which is under the China Geological Survey and operates within the Ministry of Natural Resources.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Jan. 2026
Doncic blew a kiss to the crowd and threw his hands in the air after drilling a first-quarter three.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
Hurley and his staff had been drilling the team on its areas of weakness as the close calls kept coming.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Miles came out aggressive, scoring 11 of TCU’s 19 points in the first quarter, including drilling a 3-pointer.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
Participants can watch Forest Preserve District naturalists demonstrate how to tap a maple tree, then try drilling and setting their own tap, according to a press release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
In its pitch to investors, Fervo includes talking points about how next-generation geothermal uses drilling technology from the oil and gas industry.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Jan. 2026
Egor Dëmin sparked Brooklyn’s first real punch, drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to stop the bleeding.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Most recommend drilling 1-inch holes an inch or so deep in the surface of the stump, filling the holes with the chemical remover, and covering the stump with a tarp to keep children and pets safely away.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Trial confirms drilling and monitoring capabilities According to China Daily, the robot was developed by the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS), which is under the China Geological Survey and operates within the Ministry of Natural Resources.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Jan. 2026
Doncic blew a kiss to the crowd and threw his hands in the air after drilling a first-quarter three.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilling. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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