drove

1 of 2

noun

ˈdrōv How to pronounce drove (audio)
Synonyms of drove
1
: a group of animals driven or moving in a body
2
: a large number : crowd
—usually used in plural especially with in
came in droves

drove

2 of 2

past tense of drive

Synonyms of drove

Relevance

Noun

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Examples of drove in a Sentence

Noun people flocked to the annual festival in droves
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
But outside the station is the Arc, an otherworldly light that draws droves of physicists—like her ex-husband, Eli—to study its effects. — Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026 Expect droves to gather from Titusville to Cocoa Beach for a chance to view the launch. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 When the news broke, Phillips said, droves of Dollyologists reached out to her to share in the grief. — Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026 Their fledgling relationship has provided a bright spot for droves of fans around the globe who are mourning the death of Shadow's longtime partner, Jackie, following a mysterious illness earlier this month. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drove

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English drāf, from drīfan to drive — more at drive

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drove was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing drove

Rhymes for drove

See All Rhymes for drove

Browse Nearby Words

drouk
drove
drover
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Cite this Entry

“Drove.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drove. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

drove

1 of 2 noun
ˈdrōv How to pronounce drove (audio)
1
: a group of animals driven or moving in a body
2
: a crowd of people moving or acting together

drove

2 of 2

past of drive

Etymology

Noun

Old English drāf "group of animals moving together," from drīfan "to drive"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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