drilled; drilling; drills
1
a
: to fix something in the mind or habit pattern of by repetitive instruction
drill pupils in spelling
b
: to impart or communicate by repetition
c
: to train or exercise in military drill
2
a(1)
: to bore or drive a hole in
(2)
: to make by piercing action
drill a hole
b
: to shoot with or as if with a gun
c(1)
: to propel (something, such as a ball) with force or accuracy
drilled a single to right field
(2)
: to hit with force
drilled the batter with the first pitch
1
: an instrument with an edged or pointed end for making holes in hard substances by revolving or by a succession of blows
also
: a machine for operating such an instrument
2
: the act or exercise of training soldiers in marching and in executing prescribed movements with a weapon
3
a
: a physical or mental exercise aimed at perfecting facility and skill especially by regular practice
b
: a formal exercise by a team of marchers
c
: the approved, correct, or usual procedure for accomplishing something : routine
4
a
: a marine snail (Urosalpinx cinerea) destructive to oysters by boring through their shells and feeding on the soft parts
b
: any of several mollusks related to the drill
5
: a drilling sound
: a western African baboon (Mandrillus leucophaeus) having a black face and brown coat and closely related to the mandrill
1
a
: a shallow furrow or trench into which seed is sown
b
: a row of seed sown in such a furrow
2
: a planting implement that makes holes or furrows, drops in the seed and sometimes fertilizer, and covers them with earth
drilled; drilling; drills
1
: to sow (seeds) by dropping along a shallow furrow
2
a
: to sow with seed or set with seedlings inserted in drills
b
: to distribute seed or fertilizer in by means of a drill
: a durable cotton twilled fabric
Examples of drill in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the nerve-jangling sound when a dentist drills a tooth
drilled the target from 100 yards away
Noun (1)
shuttling the kids between extracurricular activities is all part of the suburban drill
doing vocabulary drills all afternoon in preparation for the test
Verb (2)
he drills soybeans in the same rows with corn
Recent Examples on the Web
Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 28 Oct. 2025
The deep floor of the LUNA testbed allows for sampling and drilling up to nine feet (three meters) below the surface, enabling scientists and engineers to test technologies for resource extraction, mobility and construction.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Besides helping with mortgages and other bills, the drill money is used by some reservists to cover premiums for military health insurance, said John Hashem, executive director of the Reserve Organization of America, an advocacy group.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drill
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
King Charles will reportedly drill it in to Prince Andrew’s head.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 28 Oct. 2025
The deep floor of the LUNA testbed allows for sampling and drilling up to nine feet (three meters) below the surface, enabling scientists and engineers to test technologies for resource extraction, mobility and construction.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
But nowadays the only drills involve morning yoga and afternoon picnics.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Besides helping with mortgages and other bills, the drill money is used by some reservists to cover premiums for military health insurance, said John Hashem, executive director of the Reserve Organization of America, an advocacy group.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drill
Cite this Entry
“Drill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drill. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drill
1 of 5 noun1
: a tool for making holes in hard substances
2
: the training of soldiers in military skill and discipline
3
: a physical or mental exercise regularly practiced
4
: a marine snail that bores through oyster shells and feeds on the soft parts
drill
2 of 5 verb1
: to instruct or train by repetition
drill a child in multiplication
drill troops
2
: to bore or make a hole in with or as if with a drill
drill a tooth
drill a hole
driller
noun
drill
3 of 5 noun1
: a shallow furrow or trench into which seed is sown
2
: a planting machine that makes holes or furrows, drops in seed, and covers it with earth
drill
4 of 5 verb
: to sow with or as if with a drill
drill
5 of 5 noun
: a strong cotton fabric in twill weave
Etymology
Noun
probably from Dutch dril "a tool for drilling holes," derived from early Dutch drillen (verb) "to drill"
Noun
perhaps from earlier drill "a trickling stream"
Noun
shortened from drilling "heavy cotton fabric," from German Drillich (same meaning)
Medical Definition
drill
1 of 2 transitive verb
: to make a hole in with a drill
the dentist drilled the tooth for a filling
: to make a hole with a drill
painless dental drilling
drill
2 of 2 noun
: an instrument with an edged or pointed end for making holes in hard substances (as bones or teeth) by revolving
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