1
as in slug
a lazy person
those drones just lie around while we do all the work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
heard the drone of an airplane overhead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drone
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Treating drones as conventional aircraft would allow the State Department to clear sales more quickly.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025
Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Recent successes in applying computer vision and machine learning to drone imagery for rapidly determining building and road damage after hurricanes or shifting wildfire lines suggest that artificial intelligence could be valuable in searching for missing persons after a flood.
—Robin R. Murphy, The Conversation, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drone
Noun
In renewable energy, the method has been used to assess the turbulent wake effects of wind turbines, helping inform safe placement of turbine fields while reducing risks for nearby aircraft, drones, and wildlife.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Treating drones as conventional aircraft would allow the State Department to clear sales more quickly.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Wylde seemed right at home recreating the droning opening dirge as the band slowed down into a stellar stoney groove throughout a standout moment Saturday night.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Recent successes in applying computer vision and machine learning to drone imagery for rapidly determining building and road damage after hurricanes or shifting wildfire lines suggest that artificial intelligence could be valuable in searching for missing persons after a flood.
—Robin R. Murphy, The Conversation, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drone
Verb
-
Kelce also had a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2, which premiered on Netflix in July, and New Heights, his podcast with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, is humming along after Amazon’s Wondery picked it up last year in a three-year deal for a minimum of $105 million.—
Brett Knight,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, the profession has been stereotyped as a world of calculators and spreadsheets, quietly humming in the background of business.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The viral clip has racked up nearly 19 million views so far, leaving fans buzzing over the pair’s funny performance.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The internet buzzed when Team Cherry announced Silksong.—
Keller Gordon,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Marlowe, lounging behind Frizer, grabbed Frizer’s dagger and struck him in the head; Frizer snatched it back and returned the compliment.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Personalized itineraries While some guests are perfectly happy to lounge by the pool or swim in the ocean, others may want to explore.—
Sherrie Nachman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Commissioner David Suarez, named as a defendant in the lawsuit, made a brief appearance at Wednesday’s press conference, zipping in front of reporters on an electric scooter.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Rent a golf cart or e-bike to zip around the resort.—
Elliott Harrell,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Scientists at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) have developed Korea’s first homegrown Liquid Air Energy Storage system, which uses surplus electricity to chill air into liquid, store it, and later release it to generate power.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
-
While this criticism is overstated, as a lot of his books have bone-chilling finales or thematically rich conclusions, there are certainly a lot of stories where he's failed to land the plane.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is something Kang was championing — badass characters who also veg out on the couch without makeup on.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
-
And while humans tend to veg out on the couch, canines typically only watch for short periods.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
For example, students in Australia led a successful initiative to improve air quality around their schools by having parents cut down on engine idling time.—
Ana Santos Rutschman,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
-
When a motivated consumer still feels unconvinced, the market is idling in the wrong gear.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That’s what was bumming him out.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
-
To be this close over and over is really bumming me out.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drone. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share