drive 1 of 2

verb

ˈdrīv How to pronounce drive (audio)
Definition of drivenext
1
as in to run
to urge, push, or force onward cowboys drove the herd of cattle from San Antonio to San Francisco

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2
as in to motor
to travel by a motorized vehicle I'm going to drive across the country—want to come?

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3
as in to push
to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one drove the plunger into the opening

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4
as in to force
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure the corrupt governor was driven out of office

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to activate
to cause to function machinery driven by waterpower

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to move
to set or keep in motion this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to travel
to proceed or move quickly the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

drive

2 of 2

noun

1
as in road
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel raced our motorcycles along the drive

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2
as in campaign
a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal a fund-raising drive for the school's marching band

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3
as in desire
a strong wish for something a drive to succeed in the television news business

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in energy
active strength of body or mind senior citizens who exercise regularly are more likely to have the drive to keep up with their grandchildren

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5
as in ambition
readiness to engage in daring or difficult activity a great opportunity for a sales representative who is full of drive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb drive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of drive are actuate, impel, and move. While all these words mean "to set or keep in motion," drive implies imparting forward and continuous motion and often stresses the effect rather than the impetus.

a ship driven aground by hurricane winds

When might actuate be a better fit than drive?

The words actuate and drive can be used in similar contexts, but actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion.

turbines actuated by waterpower

When would impel be a good substitute for drive?

While the synonyms impel and drive are close in meaning, impel is usually figurative and suggests a great motivating impetus.

a candidate impelled by ambition

When could move be used to replace drive?

In some situations, the words move and drive are roughly equivalent. However, move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position.

moved the furniture

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 drive
Verb
Diesel prices have risen 86% in Nigeria and more than 50% in Tanzania and Ethiopia, driving up the cost of farming, trucking, and electricity from generators—and, in turn, the price of staples such as rice and corn. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026 The convenience of early voting has helped drive up turnout ahead of Election Day in recent cycles, Dickerson said. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
Even when the Chiefs finally put together a solid drive in the fourth, Butker missed his second kick of the game, just a 45-yard try, that would have narrowed the score to 13-6. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Quarterback Deshaun Watson has led a game-winning drive in each of the team’s five wins this year, and those five game-winning drives are the most by any Cleveland quarterback in a single season this century, per ESPN. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drive
  1. run
  2. motor
  3. push
  4. force
  5. activate
  6. move
  7. travel
  8. road
Verb
  • Cybersecurity experts told Fortune that unpatched systems could let hackers run code remotely, which puts websites and sensitive data at risk.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • At the racetrack, the horses ran, and Crawford hosted members at the Ruidoso Jockey Club, where private tables cost as much as six figures.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of run
Verb
  • On a drizzly morning in March 2025, a bright blue dive boat motored through Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia toward the Tufts Cove generating station.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Varma holed out in the outfield in Ahmed’s final over, but Varma motored to his 21-ball half-century by clubbing 15 runs of the fast bowler’s final four balls.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of motor
Verb
  • Rather than chasing fancy titles or splashy paychecks throughout her career, she’s gravitated toward jobs that pushed her out of her comfort zone, forced her to take risks, and taught her to embrace a little chaos.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Meta Platforms, which is pushing its Muse AI agent, lost 7% after reporting stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell short.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • Rather than chasing fancy titles or splashy paychecks throughout her career, she’s gravitated toward jobs that pushed her out of her comfort zone, forced her to take risks, and taught her to embrace a little chaos.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The defense once again gave the offense an opportunity, forcing an Argyle punt, and this time, Heritage capitalized with a 2-yard rushing TD from Vargas to cut the lead to 7 points.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of force
Verb
  • Two letters redirect actions MuTRAP is a backdoor attack, also known as a Trojan attack, in which malicious behavior is embedded in a model and activated only when a specific trigger appears.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Ukraine received no warning from its partners ahead of the first wave of attacks, and information about a second wave arrived too late for air raid sirens to be activated in time, air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television.
    — SAMYA KULLAB, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of activate
Verb
  • The next president may well also have more power to purchase equity stakes; legislation moving through the Senate would give the Pentagon explicit legal authority to do so.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is moving forward with a $4 million investment to run an ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother after the video received fierce backlash.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of move
Verb
  • Brazil’s machine has traveled mostly on loan to countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
    — Solly Boussidan, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Most of the nitrogen used in fertilizer travels through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel in the Middle East controlled by Iran.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of travel
Noun
  • The rear tire plays a different role from its conventional use on roads.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The trip to Seattle began a stretch of six road games in eight weeks.
    — Sam McDowell October 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of road

Browse Nearby Words

drips
drive
drive (away or off)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drive. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drive

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