Synonyms of drills

drills 1 of 3

noun

plural of drill

1

as in routines

an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity

shuttling the kids between extracurricular activities is all part of the suburban drill

Synonyms & Similar Words

• routines
• grinds
• ruts
• grooves
• patterns
• techniques
• habits
• rotes
• methods
• treadmills
• practices
• locksteps
• procedures
• strategies
• regimens
• programs
• plans
• traditions
• approaches
• styles
• customs
• tricks
• tacks
• policies
• schemes
• housekeepings
• manners
• daily dozens
• designs
• fashions
• conventions
• ways
• wonts

2

as in exercises

something done over and over in order to develop skill

doing vocabulary drills all afternoon in preparation for the test

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exercises
• practices
• lessons
• workouts
• trainings
• routines
• homeworks
• assignments
• refreshers
• brushups
• reviews

drills

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of drill

1

as in punches

to make a hole or series of holes in

the nerve-jangling sound when a dentist drills a tooth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• punches
• holes
• pierces
• pokes
• bores
• punctures
• taps
• perforates
• riddles
• cuts
• penetrates
• breaks
• splits
• broaches
• pricks
• excavates
• slashes
• grooves
• burrows (into)
• slits
• gouges
• hollows
• ruptures
• notches
• rends
• prickles
• gashes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fills
• plugs
• seals
• patches

2

as in shoots

to strike with a missile from a gun

drilled the target from 100 yards away

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shoots
• guns
• pops
• plugs
• drops
• kills
• destroys
• slaughters
• pistols
• slays
• brings down
• blows away
• picks off
• machine-guns
• shoots down
• fires (at)
• peppers
• shotguns
• blazes
• dispatches
• blasts (at)
• massacres
• butchers
• tommy-guns
• wipes out
• potshots
• snipes (at)
• ices
• blots out
• fells
• annihilates
• decimates
• does in
• croaks

drills

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of drill

as in plants

to put or set into the ground to grow

he drills soybeans in the same rows with corn

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plants
• seeds
• puts in
• sows
• beds
• transplants
• broadcasts
• replants
• pots
• scatters
• reseeds
• overseeds

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gathers
• reaps
• harvests

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drills

Noun

When the offense would come together for drills, that’s when the fireworks started. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 14 July 2026

Before every game, Arraez runs through Washington’s famous infield drills, which require a defender to field 96 grounders from an assortment of angles and positions in about four minutes. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 13 July 2026

The event is not only for quarterbacks, with drills and analysis provided for every football position. — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2026

These drills include instructions for boarding lifeboats and safely evacuating the ship in an emergency situation, but CNN reported that no such drill was held for 600 passengers who boarded the Concordia shortly before embarking. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 11 July 2026

Garcia was able to go through defensive drills and run the bases. — Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026

The freshman lineman was put through rigorous drills by strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis, according to the attorney general’s office, even though Kulbis knew Dickey had sickle cell trait. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Annemarie Cortez, the principal at an elementary school in Corona, California, told me that many administrators are instructing teachers not to assign full books; they’re supposed to be running discrete reading drills with short excerpts. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

The patriotic community celebration included a series of military-style drills and performances watched by families, teachers, administrators and residents. — Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026

Verb

He is hyperfocused on details and drills home teaching points relentlessly. — Michael Silver, New York Times, 16 June 2026

The two countries conducted joint nuclear forces drills earlier this month. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 30 May 2026

Minnesota has a desire to get Edwards off the ball more next season to create more of the easy catch-and-shoot looks the superstar routinely drills. — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 May 2026

Remer drills his students on roots, language patterns and the exceptions to those patterns. — Ben Nuckols, Fortune, 23 May 2026

By competition, Tolbert is referring to all the on-field, and off-field drills the Dolphins have been doing this offseason, which get so competitive players routinely request to see the film because a daily winner is declared, and the leader is tracked. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026

If the samples test positive, then the company drills to validate the discovery, secures rights to the site, and sells the rights off to a mining company. — New Atlas, 8 May 2026

The nonprofit drills wells to provide clean water. — Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 6 May 2026

For kids, there will be a mobile video game truck, skills and drills stations, inflatables, balloon and caricature artist and a face painter. — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026