Synonyms of drone

drone 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈdrōn 

1

as in slug

a lazy person

those drones just lie around while we do all the work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slug
• snail
• bum
• loafer
• couch potato
• idler
• slouch
• deadbeat
• sluggard
• do-nothing
• layabout
• lotus-eater
• crawler
• lazybones
• slugabed
• creeper
• delayer
• good-for-nothing
• straggler
• lingerer
• laggard
• loiterer
• saunterer
• shirker
• dawdler
• slowpoke
• putterer
• slacker
• goldbrick
• loller
• clock-watcher
• stick-in-the-mud
• dropout
• ne'er-do-well
• lounger
• malingerer
• dallier
• procrastinator
• quitter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hummer
• doer
• hustler
• go-ahead
• self-starter
• comer
• powerhouse
• achiever
• live wire
• go-getter
• highflier

2

as in laborer

a person who does very hard or dull work

after lunch my fellow drones and I shuffle back to our cubicles

Synonyms & Similar Words

• laborer
• worker
• slave
• peon
• foot soldier
• grunt
• toiler
• grubber
• plugger
• grub
• drudge
• drudger
• slogger
• dogsbody
• serf
• workhorse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shirker
• slug
• idler
• loafer
• slouch
• sluggard
• goldbrick
• lazybones

drone

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in hum

a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion

heard the drone of an airplane overhead

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hum
• purr
• buzz
• whisper
• rustle
• thrum
• zoom
• whir
• sigh
• chirr
• moan
• whiz
• burr
• churr
• murmur
• babble
• gurgle
• gasp
• hiss
• coo
• susurrus
• susurration
• zip
• suspiration
• zing
• whish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• roar
• scream
• screech
• shriek
• squall
• yell
• howl
• squeal
• yelp
• bawl

drone

3 of 3

verb

1

as in to hum

to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound

the sound of droning bees all around us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hum
• buzz
• zip
• burr
• whir
• whisper
• zoom
• hiss
• whiz
• bumble
• murmur
• whistle
• sigh
• whish
• thrum
• chirr
• purr
• coo
• churr
• fizz
• wheeze
• rustle
• swish
• whoosh
• curr
• sizzle

2

as in to lazy

to spend time doing nothing

instead of getting a job, he preferred to drone and live off his parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lazy
• lounge
• veg out
• chill
• idle
• bum
• rest
• hack (around)
• goof (off)
• kill time
• loaf
• play
• kick back
• stroll
• poke
• relax
• hang about
• dillydally
• hang (around or out)
• muck
• footle
• laze
• dawdle
• loll
• twiddle one's thumbs
• kick around
• mess
• monkey
• estivate
• trifle
• fool
• potter (around)
• fiddle (around)
• swan
• loiter
• hibernate
• linger
• lag
• piddle
• dally
• doze
• putter (around)
• saunter
• amble
• truant
• mosey
• malinger
• furlough
• goldbrick
• tarry

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slave
• work
• labor
• plow
• grind
• toil
• plug
• hustle
• sweat
• plod
• apply
• buckle (down)
• grub
• drudge
• peg
• hump
• put out
• travail
• exert
• moil

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drone

Noun

As the investigation and suspect search continued, police said that SWAT officers and drones were also deployed to assist. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Weeks of Iranian drone and missile attacks on the UAE earlier this year, the vast majority of which were intercepted, sparked tensions among locals and hammered the country's tourism and aviation industry. — Jenni Reid,emma Graham, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

Grey-zone tactics refer to a range of aggressive tactics varying from navy ship patrols to drone flights but fall short of direct combat. — ABC News, 24 June 2026

The sound of tattoo machines droning at different pitches filled the air at the fifth annual Capitol City Classic tattoo convention, on Saturday afternoon, the second day of its three-day run. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2026