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

Earlier this month, Russia and Belarus held massive drills that included the delivery of nuclear warheads to missile units and launch preparations. —ABC News, 31 May 2026

There were shooting drills, too, and various sized scrimmages. —Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

Massive drills of Russia’s nuclear forces earlier this month and a series of belligerent statements from Moscow warning Kyiv’s European allies about possible retaliation for what the Kremlin cast as their involvement in Ukrainian drone attacks have underlined Putin’s intention to up the ante. —Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

Incoming Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball players Taylen Kinney and Davion Adkins participated in six days of drills and scrimmages together at USA Basketball men’s Under 18 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado. —Gary Bedore may 29, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026

The settings are light, with seven-on-seven drills offering none of the hits and pocket management that will help define who Simpson is as a future starter. —Nate Atkins, New York Times, 29 May 2026

The Bears practiced in shells with no tackling, also performing special teams and seven-on-seven drills yesterday on the second day of organized team activities at Halas Hall. —Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

They'll also be put through more repetitive drills, like the surprisingly difficult art of grasping objects like humans can. —New Atlas, 25 May 2026

When the Falcons’ defense went through individual drills and team periods during OTA practices Monday and Tuesday, its conductor was over 400 miles south in Orlando, Florida. —Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 22 May 2026

Verb

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

Embiid, a 7-foot-0, 280-pound, 32-year-old native of Cameroon who won league MVP honors in 2023, participated in some of the Sixers’ drills just 15 days removed from emergency appendectomy surgery. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026