1 B1 neutral
To make a hole that passes completely through a material using a drill or similar tool.
"The engineer drilled through the concrete wall to run the new pipes."
inseparable
drill through
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To make a hole through something by rotating a sharp tool, or to work through something methodically and persistently.
In plain English
Make a hole all the way through something using a drill, or keep going through something until you're done.
What does "drill through" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To work through a large amount of material, data, or tasks in a thorough and systematic way.
"It took the analysts two days to drill through all the quarterly sales figures."
inseparable
3 C1 idiomatic neutral
To penetrate or cut through something with focused effort or intensity (of sound, gaze, or feeling).
"The cold wind drilled through his thin jacket as he waited at the bus stop."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To use a drill and go all the way through something.
Actually means
Make a hole all the way through something using a drill, or keep going through something until you're done.
Usage tip
Used both literally (physical drilling) and figuratively (working through data, material, problems). The figurative sense is common in business and academic contexts.
Words that pair with "drill through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
wall data rock material layer report
How to conjugate "drill through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
drill through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drills through
he/she/it
Past simple
drilled through
yesterday
Past participle
drilled through
have + pp
-ing form
drilling through
continuous
Hear "drill through" in the wild
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Other ways to say "drill through"
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Keep exploring
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