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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026
As far as drilling a ceramic pot goes, the process is just a bit more involved.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 12 Apr. 2026
But drilling new wells takes time.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
Sura said this grant and the pending work to be done is a victory for residents in Fort Collins and Larimer County, improving health and environment while also potentially returning some land back to generational owners who previously had to leave the property to drilling.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Company representatives said drilling for an exploratory well began in October and would last about five months.
—Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
After drilling Moncada, Sale bent over, putting his hands on his knees, before walking behind the pitcher’s mound to pick up the rosin bag, only to spike it into the ground.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Florida legislators on both sides of the aisle have been fighting back against drilling off the state’s coasts.
—Kristen Monsell, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The new name is reminiscent of the old Minerals Management Service, which for decades was the federal agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
What’s wrong with drilling oil companies?
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026
As far as drilling a ceramic pot goes, the process is just a bit more involved.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 12 Apr. 2026
But drilling new wells takes time.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
Sura said this grant and the pending work to be done is a victory for residents in Fort Collins and Larimer County, improving health and environment while also potentially returning some land back to generational owners who previously had to leave the property to drilling.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Company representatives said drilling for an exploratory well began in October and would last about five months.
—Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
After drilling Moncada, Sale bent over, putting his hands on his knees, before walking behind the pitcher’s mound to pick up the rosin bag, only to spike it into the ground.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Florida legislators on both sides of the aisle have been fighting back against drilling off the state’s coasts.
—Kristen Monsell, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The new name is reminiscent of the old Minerals Management Service, which for decades was the federal agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilling. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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