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

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verb (1)

drill

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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
China has held regular joint military drills with Iran, and Chinese firms have even supplied chemicals used in Iran’s missile programme, according to Reuters. Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026 The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim oversaw firing and other drills involving tank units and infantry troops on Thursday and called for completing war preparations. ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
The visual of Christian Laettner drilling his turnaround, buzzer-beating jumper to defeat Pitino’s Kentucky Wildcats and send Duke to the 1992 Final Four remains omnipresent. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 Iowa’s Alvaro Folgueiras drilled a three-pointer to seal the 73-72 upset win. Ryan Brennan march 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drill
Noun
  • This will help improve the overall effectiveness, since your skin can better absorb the product (the same goes for all of the other formulas in your routine).
    Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The ten-part series will see Wahlberg putting some of the world’s biggest digital creators through his famous workout routine at his home gym while also holding candid conversations.
    Peter White, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The orders follow weeks of speculation about whether the 82nd Airborne Division would join the war, after its headquarters unit abruptly pulled out of a training exercise this month.
    Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The exercise included multi-wave saturation attacks on enemy vessels attempting to evade detection by using nearby islands and reefs as cover.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • His former teammate Porzingis could relate to Tatum’s rehab process, and said that a desire to be involved in the team’s day-to-day grind is often a great motivator.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2026
  • But the quagmire is made worse by the question of what audiences want in an age of abundant at-home entertainment options, tighter budgets and general fatigue from the merciless grind of modern life.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The lawsuit accuses the company of deceptive marketing practices.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Many here worry that a case from Mississippi challenging whether ballots received after Election Day can be counted in federal elections could end Alaska's practice of accepting late-arriving ballots.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Both bills would establish teacher training academies focused on the science of reading so educators could earn an early literacy micro-credential.
    Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The academy provides resources and hosts trainings to help educators learn about AI and integrate AI tools into their classrooms.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drill. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on drill

Nglish: Translation of drill for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drill

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