drill 1 of 3

Definition of drillnext
1
as in routine
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

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2
as in exercise
something done over and over in order to develop skill doing vocabulary drills all afternoon in preparation for the test

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drill

2 of 3

verb (1)

drill

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to plant
to put or set into the ground to grow he drills soybeans in the same rows with corn

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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 drill
Noun
After the drill, participating organizations will send feedback and observations to the state. Doug Myers, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026 Flying is the company’s second Nova-C lander named Athena featuring NASA’s PRIME-1 drill, to land a drill and mass spectrometer near the south pole of the moon in order to demonstrate the feasibility of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and measure the volatile content of subsurface samples. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
This may be as simple as a two-foot-long, 4 x 4 piece of wood into which holes from 1/8 -3/8 inch in diameter have been drilled, taking care that the holes do not go through the wood. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026 But that wouldn’t have been the case if his players didn’t intercept a pass by Duke star Cam Boozer, the son of Duke and NBA great Carlos Boozer, and Braylon Mullins drilled a 3-pointer almost at the buzzer in a bizarre finish to their Elite Eight matchup. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drill
Noun
  • The rising cost of fuel is forcing some residents to change their daily routines.
    Austin Carter, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Recent personal updates might ripple through your routines, rooms, and family expectations, making all sorts of waves along the way.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The exercise started in spring 2023 as Phelps grew frustrated with the reality that students were using generative AI and online translation platforms to churn out grammatically perfect assignments.
    ABC News, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • If exercise is your #1 reason for picking up a wearable, the Fitbit Charge 6 is going to rock your world with a 25% discount.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Hurts Like Hell has a kind of mythic separation from the daily grind that was so present in Cornfield’s earlier work.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • He's been in the grind and on the journey for a long time, playing guitar, writing and even doing some dancing for other headliners.
    Tony Peterson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The school's practices allowed people to get massage therapy licenses without finishing the required training, according to TDLR.
    S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Turner added that the conditions Kaiko was in were the direct result of backyard breeding practices that prioritize profit over animal welfare.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The new home base for Inter Miami has already welcomed season ticket holders for a sneak peek before the big day, allowing fans to see Lionel Messi and his teammates during a training session.
    Samantha Rivera, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The flight was intended for the training pilot to receive instruction in basic visual flight rules and included going over downtown Fort Lauderdale, the report said.
    Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drill. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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