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

The drills tested the two allies’ ability to coordinate operations across land, sea and air, while also incorporating space, cyber, electromagnetic warfare and logistics training. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026

On one court, a dozen kids dribbled through drills at a clinic while their parents looked on from plush leather chairs. — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026

Garrett went through individual drills with edge rushers during the portion of practice open to reporters. — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

The classes begin with gentle warm-ups before progressing to more challenging movements, voice exercises and walking drills that emphasize rhythm, a longer stride and stability. — Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Proctor missed the entire week of practice before the Patriots game, but he was seen doing aerobic exercises on the side of drills last Friday. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026

There, Santa shares the route with festive chickens, dancing grannies, and a drill team armed with actual power drills. — Sarah Bisacca, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2026

But hardening schools and practicing lockdown drills, among other steps to reduce school shootings, are not making young people feel safer. — Nina Vinik, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Yandex has run drills for an accident that could incapacitate one of its six data centers, but it was caught unprepared when its three key facilities were hit over four days. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Verb

Ramiro Benavides, director of a middle school mariachi in the district, drills his students not only on how to play their instruments and sing, but also on how to bring a theatrical and dramatic flair to their performances. — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Dewan is also filming The Rookie, so things are getting challenging as Val drills her on the technique — even on set between takes. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Fusion hardware drills deeper At the heart of the system is a gyrotron, a specialized vacuum electronic device capable of producing high-power millimeter waves. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

As his colleagues look on, Brunson, in his desk chair, drills the shot across the room. — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026

Penix tried a similar process in Week 1, going through agility and movement drills to see how his knee reacted. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Fervo drills a pair of wells more than 2 miles deep, including a lateral well that can extend for more than a mile horizontally. — Pippa Stevens, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026

Berrios is sidelined right now by a soft tissue injury but was running pretty well on the side of team drills Monday. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026

Other notes from Panthers-Jaguars practice First-round pick rookie offensive tackle Monroe Freeling held his own in one-on-one drills as well as team drills in practice on Wednesday. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026