drilling

D2R1I1L1L1I1N1G2
/ˈdɹɪlɪŋ/

noun

Making holes in objects.

Similar
boringpracticingpracticeoil production
OriginGerman Drilling →
CommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

drilling1

noundrilling (plural drillings)

plural drillings

  1. The act or process of drilling.
    1. Making holes in objects.

      Synonyms: boring

    2. Performing drills (exercises).

      Synonyms: practicing, practice

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of drill

drilling2

noundrilling (plural drillings)

plural drillings

  1. A long firearm with three barrels (typically a mix of shotgun and rifle barrels).

drilling3

noun
  1. A heavy, twilled fabric of linen or cotton; drill.

Drilling4

proper nounDrilling (plural Drillings)

plural Drillings

  1. A surname from German.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounMaking holes in objects.

Similar
boring

nounPerforming drills (exercises).

Similar
practicingpractice

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe act of drilling

Similar
boring
Broader
creating by removal

nounthe act of drilling a hole in the earth in the hope of producing petroleum

Similar
boringoil production
Broader
production
Also see
boringexercise

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

drilling · noun, verb

From drill + -ing.

Full word history & related roots →

drilling · noun

  1. GermanDrilling
  2. GermanDrilling
  3. Englishdrilling

Borrowed from German Drilling (“gun with three barrels; triplet”).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Drilling · proper noun

  1. GermanDrilling
  2. GermanDrilling
  3. EnglishDrilling

Borrowed from German Drilling.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch boring
  • boringact of drilling
Finnish poraus, drillinki
  • porausact of drilling
  • drillinkifirearm
Norwegian Bokmål boring
  • boringact of drilling
Spanish perforación
  • perforaciónact of drilling
Swedish borrning
  • borrningact of drilling

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with drilling

willingbillingkillingfillingfulfillingmillingunwillingshillingchillinggrillingthrillingschillingspillingdistillinginstillingtrillingquillingbing chillingprillingtake the shillingtwilling
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

drilling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drilling

MLA

“drilling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drilling. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “drilling,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drilling.

Source: drilling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.