DRILLED Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

drilled 1 of 2

verb (1)

past tense of drill

as in pierced

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in popped

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

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drilled

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of drill

as in planted

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 drilled

Verb

Watson moved Cleveland into field-goal range before Andre Szmyt drilled a 56-yard kick to give the Browns a 27-24 lead. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Still, after Watson misfired on a third-down throw, the kicker drilled the long field goal. — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Miami pass rusher Chop Robinson drilled Mahomes and landed on him, drawing a roughing-the-passer penalty for 15 yards and a first down. — Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026 The Phillies had a runner on second and two outs when Turner drilled a 104-mph line drive off Jax. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 Youngquist has drilled large-diameter boreholes to depths exceeding 8,000 feet. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026 Luna 16 drilled about 35 centimeters into the moon to collect its core sample. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 20 Sep. 2026 But various companies over the years have drilled and explored the site, building evidence that the mine still has lots to offer. — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Sep. 2026 Miles of steel cables were drilled at least a foot deep into the mountain rock, to ensure dozens of climbers are safe to traverse the mountainside simultaneously. — Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drilled

Verb

Pour the bean mixture into airtight freezer bags pierced the tip of a knife to create air holes.

— Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
One item that wasn’t returned was his 3-year-old daughter’s car seat, which had been pierced by a bullet.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of pierced

Verb

There were taro patches and gardens planted with banana, sweet potato, sugar cane, noni, and more.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Simply put, a rain garden is a depressed bed planted with native perennials and shrubs selected for their high-water tolerance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of planted

Verb

His pass set and movements looked more like an art than someone who punched people for a living.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
The suspect allegedly punched the woman with a closed fist before taking her phone and driver's license, then fleeing the scene, according to police.

— Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of punched

Verb

The roommate then plugged the camera in and saw several videos of Long inside the bedroom testing out the device, according to the report.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
These holes are notorious for getting plugged with debris, worsening water accumulation.

— Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of plugged

Verb

That latest round of NFL-booth musical chairs has already seeded some decidedly dodgy ideas in the minds of our keenest sports-media types.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2026
In the early 1990s, Gordon Getty seeded Newsom’s Napa Valley wine start-up, PlumpJack, which Newsom launched with Gordon’s son Billy and named after an opera Gordon had composed.

— Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of seeded

Verb

Bellingham poked in Gordon's cross midway through the first half.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
George Lombard singled in a run, Jazz Chisholm poked one through the right side, Trent Grisham got a bunt down for a hit, knocking Crochet out of the game without getting an out.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of poked

Verb

Jeong-yo, who can no longer play the piano due to nerve damage from when he was shot, wants to work with Pi-o.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Sacramento County sheriff’s officials recovered the weapon used by the 34-year-old man fatally shot by deputies Sunday near Marconi and Eastern avenues and said he had been arrested on gun charges at the same intersection in June.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of shot

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“Drilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drilled. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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