noun
Common
drilling
DRIH-lihng
Drilling (noun) means the process of boring holes into a surface or material. Example: “The noise of drilling woke us up early on Saturday morning.”
noun
1
The process of boring holes into a surface or material.
"The noise of drilling woke us up early on Saturday morning."
"Careful drilling is needed to avoid cracking the bathroom tiles."
"Oil drilling began off the coast last year."
2
Repeated practice exercises, especially military or skill training.
"Constant drilling of verb tables helped the class speak better French."
"The coach believed that endless drilling would sharpen the team's passing."
"Years of drilling made the routine second nature to the soldiers."
How to use drilling
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBoring holes (as with oil or construction), or running repeated practice exercises.
Common pairings
oil drilling
military drilling
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Word forms
- Plural
- drillings
Fill the gap
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The noise of _____ woke us up early on Saturday morning.
Etymology
From drill plus -ing.
Related words
Rhymes for drilling
willing
killing
filling
milling
billing
chilling
spilling
grilling
trilling
Shilling
unwilling
thrilling
See all rhymes for 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.
