drive 1 of 2

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
5
6
7

drive

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in campaign
a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal a fund-raising drive for the school's marching band

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5

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
Their attacks on various shipping vessels throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden—targeting American and allied ships—have driven up freight and insurance costs and forced some vessels to take long detours. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025 And with only two teammates available, Vandersloot couldn’t lean on the facilitating psyche that always has driven her style of play. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
Details sent to the company included the health and read / write values of the drive using CrystalDiskInfo, which is a program that can read the SMART data embedded in most hard disks. Umar Shakir, The Verge, 7 Feb. 2023 As part of the drive for efficiency, NHS managers were pressured to keep bed vacancies low. David Luhnow, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for drive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drive
Verb
  • Hardman, who played collegiately at Georgia, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Lionsgate Canada and Piller/Segan are making it for Corus Entertainment network Global, reuniting the trio four year after the end of Private Eyes, which ran from 2016-2021.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • England were motoring towards a potential total of 400 as Duckett and Joe Root rebuilt after Phil Salt and Jamie Smith played loose shots in unconvincing cameos.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Can-Am The Pulse e-moto is designed as a street commuter for motoring around town, while the Origin is built as a dual-sport to venture into uncharted territory.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Party activists are pushing for Schumer to step down, and leading Democratic House members have publicly rebuked their Senate colleagues.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Israeli media have reported on deep policy differences between the negotiators, who have pushed for a hostage deal, and Netanyahu, who continues to threaten to resume the war.
    Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The issue, which involved test-takers being cut off early or forced to reboot during the exam, has sparked outrage and raised questions about the fairness of the College Board’s response.
    Scott White, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The highlight of this movie is unambiguously the scene where De Niro, as Frank, is forced to carry his wife’s small dog into the elevator of their apartment building.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The system can only be activated under certain driving conditions, requiring specific environmental and traffic criteria to be met.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Carsley said during his spell as interim coach that White still had his ‘do not disturb’ status activated after Southgate’s departure last summer.
    Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Re-signing two of their own free agents, defensive tackle Kevin Givens and running back Patrick Taylor Jr., to one-year deals didn’t move the enthusiasm needle much, either.
    Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
  • This requires a fundamental redefinition of the sales process, moving away from a purely transactional model toward a more engaging, collaborative and impactful approach.
    Drew Gurley, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Until an hour or so prior, Messi’s presence on the traveling roster was uncertain, with the Argentine not having played in the club’s previous three matches.
    Pablo Maurer, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
  • This expansion affects light wavelengths emanating from cosmic objects of interest, like stars, that travel toward our detectors on Earth.
    Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • New York has completed the first leg of its road back-to-back.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
  • These roads are part of a historic path once traveled by royalty, samurais, monks and commoners.
    Emese Maczko, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drive. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on drive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!