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
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shoots
to strike with a missile from a gun
drilled the target from 100 yards away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of drills
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Lee and Shane Robinson, one of the new coaches under Vitello, coached outfield drills while Adames and Jae-Gyun Hwang, a former Giant, conducted infield drills.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Hendrick noted the effectiveness of Evernham’s drills, dominating the battle on pit road and moving to the front on the margins.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
Suggs was seen going through various on-court drills following shootaround at the AdventHealth Training Center and his work included playing three-on-three with two-way teammates Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson and other members of the Magic coaching staff.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Dobbins was involved in the portion of practice open to reporters on Wednesday, including individual work and ball security drills.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
The trainees nonetheless followed much of the usual syllabus, being ferried daily to one or other of the big Palestinian refugee camps under PFLP control for lectures and drills in unarmed combat and very basic weapons handling.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Gilbert is seen taking his son through ball-handling and shooting drills, some of which feature the younger Arenas going up against defenders one-on-one.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
The drills are aimed at expanding NATO’s footprint in the Arctic and training forces to operate in harsh conditions, officials said.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
Ryan Gaydos , Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025
The state also limited preseason contact drills to six hours total and banned spring and summer practices.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 20 Oct. 2025
If New England drills the Dolphins, head coach Mike McDaniel might not make it to Week 3.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
After sitting out of Saturday’s team drills with arm soreness, Sanders was a full participant at Monday’s practice, but Flacco took all of the first-team reps during the 11-on-11 portion, according to ESPN.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
Bauer has been a teacher for 25 years, a period that has included a rise of school shootings and the drills that have become common to protect against them.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Lee and Shane Robinson, one of the new coaches under Vitello, coached outfield drills while Adames and Jae-Gyun Hwang, a former Giant, conducted infield drills.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Hendrick noted the effectiveness of Evernham’s drills, dominating the battle on pit road and moving to the front on the margins.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
Suggs was seen going through various on-court drills following shootaround at the AdventHealth Training Center and his work included playing three-on-three with two-way teammates Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson and other members of the Magic coaching staff.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Dobbins was involved in the portion of practice open to reporters on Wednesday, including individual work and ball security drills.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
The trainees nonetheless followed much of the usual syllabus, being ferried daily to one or other of the big Palestinian refugee camps under PFLP control for lectures and drills in unarmed combat and very basic weapons handling.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Gilbert is seen taking his son through ball-handling and shooting drills, some of which feature the younger Arenas going up against defenders one-on-one.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
The drills are aimed at expanding NATO’s footprint in the Arctic and training forces to operate in harsh conditions, officials said.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
Every college and pro coach drills the same message into their players’ heads, nothing good happens after midnight.
—Ryan Gaydos , Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025
The state also limited preseason contact drills to six hours total and banned spring and summer practices.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 20 Oct. 2025
If New England drills the Dolphins, head coach Mike McDaniel might not make it to Week 3.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
After sitting out of Saturday’s team drills with arm soreness, Sanders was a full participant at Monday’s practice, but Flacco took all of the first-team reps during the 11-on-11 portion, according to ESPN.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drills
Noun
-
Consistent wake times, predictable light exposure, and evening routines signal the onset of shutdown.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Also, use this time at home to lean into basic wellness routines.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These exercises are key to a long health span as well as lifespan.—
Gretchen Reynolds,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises.—
Laura Dorwart,
Verywell Health,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Season with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook until softened, 5–6 minutes.—
Hailee Catalano,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Water is drawn up through the grinds via the food-grade tubing and centrifugally extracted to yield a 12-oz (355-ml) serving of cold brew coffee in five minutes.—
Shirl Leigh
January 22,
New Atlas,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Eco effort Currently working on its Green Globe certification, the ASEAN Green Hotel Award and the Hanoi City Green Energy Award are just two recent accolades the hotel picked up for its sustainability practices.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Death, fear, and sorrow unify the disparate practices.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drills. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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