1
as in slugs
a lazy person
those drones just lie around while we do all the work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laborers
a person who does very hard or dull work
after lunch my fellow drones and I shuffle back to our cubicles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hums
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
heard the drone of an airplane overhead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in buzzes
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the sound of droning bees all around us
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in lounges
to spend time doing nothing
instead of getting a job, he preferred to drone and live off his parents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 drones
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
The drones are designed to perform autonomously or via remote control while doing such things as stalking submarines, spotting mines and serving as advance scouts for aircraft carriers.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
This turns the aircraft into a key node within a network that could be used to coordinate drones, satellites, and missiles.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
Ukrainian drones caused damage to a fertilizer plant owned by PhosAgro PJSC as well as a major oil refinery as Kyiv seeks to thwart Russian commodities exporters which are benefiting from higher prices as a result of the Iran war.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
Ukraine used long-range drones to strike a Russian oil refinery deep inside Russia, targeting military fuel supplies as Moscow seeks to boost exports.
—Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Hundreds of Russian drones were descending, each the size of a Jet Ski, accompanied by more than a dozen missiles.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
But Lebanese leaders acknowledged their limited capacity, and their efforts yielded little as Hezbollah retained the ability to fire thousands of missiles and drones toward northern Israel over the past two months.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
The air-traffic rules for how dozens of these aircraft will share low-altitude urban airspace with helicopters, drones and one another are still being written.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
Almost certainly drones flying overhead.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
The drones are designed to perform autonomously or via remote control while doing such things as stalking submarines, spotting mines and serving as advance scouts for aircraft carriers.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
This turns the aircraft into a key node within a network that could be used to coordinate drones, satellites, and missiles.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
Ukrainian drones caused damage to a fertilizer plant owned by PhosAgro PJSC as well as a major oil refinery as Kyiv seeks to thwart Russian commodities exporters which are benefiting from higher prices as a result of the Iran war.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026
Ukraine used long-range drones to strike a Russian oil refinery deep inside Russia, targeting military fuel supplies as Moscow seeks to boost exports.
—Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Hundreds of Russian drones were descending, each the size of a Jet Ski, accompanied by more than a dozen missiles.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
But Lebanese leaders acknowledged their limited capacity, and their efforts yielded little as Hezbollah retained the ability to fire thousands of missiles and drones toward northern Israel over the past two months.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
The air-traffic rules for how dozens of these aircraft will share low-altitude urban airspace with helicopters, drones and one another are still being written.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drones
Verb
-
Now, with the case of Reiner, the machinery hums again.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The name hums with nostalgia, and includes a placid nod to those coal-mining towns where people were paid in company scrip.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, the boarding house buzzes around him.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
-
At night, Bar Dryce buzzes with hip city-dwellers and, on weekends, DJ sets.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the few times they’re forced to play their hurt feelings sincerely are as forced as the moment when Grace zips her gory wedding gown back on before it’s even been washed.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
As of now, the areas with the greatest threat to see any significant accumulation would be the farthest southeastern parts of our region before the storm zips off to the east.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Critical thinking really bums them out.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Again, Madueke plays short to Odegaard, with Havertz, White and Zubimendi moving towards the ball.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Audacity creator Jonathan Glatzer and star Billy Magnussen, who plays wealthy tech CEO Duncan Park, took the stage at Deadline Contenders TV to talk about taking the tech monster lurking in the shadows and those responsible for its existence, and turning it into a comedy.—
Amanda Champagne-Meadows,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This nifty side table chills beverages for hours while doubling as a convenient spot to set down drinks or snacks.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The current crisis in Iran has sent memories bubbling to the surface for the collective, and chills down the spines of viewers.—
Chloe Shrager,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Somebody who is just living greatness and never rests on that laurel, but is always pushing herself to expand as an artist.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The whole security architecture rests on those layers.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The teeth will flash, first, before the rest of Jonah Coleman’s blue-collar frame strolls into Denver’s facility in the weeks to come.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And then, right as Joe’s already prevalent rage is on the precipice of going nuclear, a CGI giraffe nonchalantly strolls past a third-story window in the background.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drones. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
