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

This month the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District will be performing live fire training drills at a private Rancho Santa Fe home that is slated to be demolished. — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026

Elsewhere on campus, bass-heavy dance music pulses from a crowded gym class, where an energetic instructor leads around 30 trainees through squats, stretches and lifting drills. — Christopher Clark, NPR, 5 July 2026

The robot was shown footage of professional footballers performing drills and movements, studying the mechanics of the sport the way a player might review game tape. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 5 July 2026

But the skating and skills drills, as well as meeting with nutritionists and sports psychologists, provide tutelage beyond the ice that should lead to success as their careers progress. — Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026

Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

In 2013, the men and women of the Maryland National Guard and the Armed Guard of Bosnia came together in a co-deployment for military drills and a friendly soccer game. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 1 July 2026

The clinics include water knowledge and hazards, dry land drills and games, water skills and drills, prone paddling on rescue boards, water rescue drills and relays. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

Roldan was on the field doing drills for the second straight day. — ABC News, 29 June 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