DRILLING Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

drilling 1 of 2

verb (1)

Definition of drilling

present participle of drill

as in piercing

to make a hole or series of holes in the nerve-jangling sound when a dentist drills a tooth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in shooting

to strike with a missile from a gun drilled the target from 100 yards away

Synonyms & Similar Words

drilling

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of drill

as in planting

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

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 drilling

Verb

Public-health and environmental advocates have also raised concerns about drilling near communities, including potential air- and water-quality harms. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 The strings were installed by drilling holes with hot water, lowering the modules into the ice and allowing the holes to refreeze. — Daniella McCahey, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 As the chief explained it, the man was drilling a hole in the limestone mine when a rock fell in. — Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Rodriguez was drilling a mounting hole the day after Thanksgiving in 2024. — Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Researchers investigating the site believed by some to be Noah's Ark have just wrapped up their first full field season — drilling more than 60 feet beneath the site and collecting hundreds of samples now undergoing laboratory analysis. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 To determine the duration of the Chicxulub hydrothermal system, Pickersgill recovered samples at the site, drilling 1 km down. — Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026 Rivera also maintains that another purpose of the consulting agreement was a commercial effort to persuade Exxon to resume drilling for oil in Venezuela. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 The company is drilling toward rock measuring 750°F (400°C), where each well could deliver up to 10 times the power of a conventional geothermal well operating at 390°F (200°C). — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drilling

Verb

The individual who inflicted the fatal injury drove the spear downward through the victim’s left chest cavity from the front, piercing major arteries and the lungs before creating the hole in the left scapula.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
An argument between children over a pizza slice escalated into a 10-year-old girl having a knife thrown at her chest, piercing her skin, by her 8-year-old brother Thursday, police said.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of piercing

Verb

Eventually, Chili invites Lee over to his house, far away from the ears of his former colleagues shooting pool at Secrets.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Thompson finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and 2-of-7 shooting on threes in 23 minutes.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of shooting

Verb

Then left tackle Alaric Jackson was suspended by the NFL for punching a Bills player on the field after the game.

— Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
The attackers uttered homophobic remarks before repeatedly punching and kicking the victims, police said.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of punching

Verb

Alongside T’Vondre Sweat, Jackson has been tasked with plugging the middle of the Jets’ defensive line and helping stop the run.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Falwell tried to save PTL, even plugging Heritage USA by going down the water slide in his suit and tie.

— Tim Funk, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of plugging

Verb

Attendees took breaks to unwind with premium wellness experiences that included massages from Sonar Mobile Spa, ear seeding from Solstice and red light therapy from Luma Dose.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 Oct. 2026
The winner gains the inside track for a spot in the Big Ten championship game and also will get a bump in College Football Playoff seeding consideration.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of seeding

Browse Nearby Words

drillers

drilling

drillmaster

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Style

“Drilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilling. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of drilling

verb (1)

verb (2)

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