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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
But the Rams had already given Brissett a free play and allowed a 21-yard completion on a drive that began with 47 seconds remaining and the Cardinals out of timeouts. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Arguably his most valuable contribution was his play in high-leverage situations, consistently converting on third down through the air, and having his best drive backed up in his own end zone. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 19 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
  • Damn it, the string of excellent Survivor episodes where the votes and strategies kept changing as people ran around and politicked is now over.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Serhii Sternenko, who runs a foundation supplying drones to Ukrainian forces and previously served as an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, also reported the Starlink speed limits and later said the speeds were being limited even further.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of run
Verb
  • 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
  • Beyond the shimmying visit, the mystery of who killed Victor is expected to motor the sophomore season’s overarching storyline, including digging into people from the corrupt politician’s shady past.
    — Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of motor
Verb
  • Torrential rain has pushed all three waterways higher for days, spilling them over their banks in northeastern Argentina, southern Paraguay and western Uruguay.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Audit reports, supplier codes of conduct and corporate sustainability pledges have made up the bulk of brands’ efforts to push a more ecological and socially aware agenda, but times have changed.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • Andrey Khrzhanovskiy, a blogger who filmed the assault, said the settlers beat Levine with sticks while the journalists and villagers were forced to retreat.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Trump repeatedly leaned on Thune to kill the filibuster in order to pass it, and other senators wanted Thune to try to force Democrats to pull off a talking filibuster to block the bill.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 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
  • Components can move from machining to assembly on the same day or the following day, enabling teams to test design changes on physical hardware sooner.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • However, the higher PPI is pointing to an economy that is gradually moving away from deflationary pressures even if the recovery remains uneven, said Hao Zhou, chief economist at Guotai Junan International Holdings.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of move
Verb
  • These clots can travel to the lungs and stop blood flow, leading to a pulmonary embolism.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Caltrans said the deck replacement is necessary to preserve the structural integrity of the bridge and improve safety for maintenance workers, truck drivers and the traveling public.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of travel
Noun
  • At the height of the incident, DeKalb fire crews blocked two right lanes of I-85 southbound and the entire access road next to it.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Wildcats improved to 6-1 with a win at Oklahoma, which marks their third road win in the conference.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of road

Browse Nearby Words

drips
drive
drive (away or off)
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Cite this Entry

“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drive. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drive

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