drilling
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for drilling, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The process of boring holes into a surface or material.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use drilling
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From drill + -ing.
Full origin of drilling →Frequently asked questions
What does “drilling” mean?
The word “drilling” means the process of boring holes into a surface or material. In plain terms, boring holes (as with oil or construction), or running repeated practice exercises.
How do you pronounce “drilling”?
“Drilling” is pronounced DRIH-lihng (/ˈdɹɪlɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “drilling” in a sentence?
Here is “drilling” used in a sentence: “Oil drilling began off the coast last year.”
What part of speech is “drilling”?
“Drilling” is a noun.
Is “drilling” a common word?
“Drilling” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “drilling” have?
“Drilling” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the process of boring holes into a surface or material.
What is the difference between 'drilling' and 'boring' a hole?
Both refer to making a hole, but 'drilling' specifically uses a rotating tool to cut into a surface or material. 'Boring' is a more general term for making or enlarging a hole and can involve other methods.
What is the difference between 'drilling' and ordinary 'practice'?
Drilling is a form of practice built on repeating the same exercise many times to build a skill or discipline, and is common in military and sports training. Practice is broader and does not have to be repetitive or highly structured.
What is 'drilling' in an oil or mining context?
There, drilling means boring deep holes into the ground to reach oil, gas, water, or minerals. It covers the whole operation of using a drill rig to penetrate rock.
What is 'drilling' in language learning?
In education, drilling means practising something through structured repetition, such as repeating vocabulary or grammar patterns until they are memorised. The aim is to make a skill automatic through frequent rehearsal.