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

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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?

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

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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

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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
It’s built strong enough to drive a car across, Duplechan said, not to mention hold a dance party. David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2025 The publication of children’s magazine content on science may have driven some of this research. H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 22 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
  • His parents, who tell THR their son is taking the abrupt introduction to fame in stride, perch nearby, ready to run him home after the shoot.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Regardless of whether it is run by M+ or the HKMOA, transparency is important to both the art community and taxpayers.
    News Desk, Artforum, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Those motoring to work in a Rolls-Royce aren’t being left out, either.
    Susan Campos, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The plot is motored by their deft, defiant mouths.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Kent Nishimura | Reuters Trump tariffs push Asian trade partners to weigh investing in massive Alaska energy project Alaska has long sought to build an 800-mile pipeline that would eventually cool gas into liquid for export to Asia.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The transition began in earnest a little over four years ago, prompted by COVID-19, which pushed huge amounts of human interaction onto screens and raised the demand for captioning.
    David Owen, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • However, no amount of care or good intentions can prevent the sudden demolition of the brothers’ home, courtesy of a vague order from the IDF — for which the family is even forced to pay.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Kosminsky’s latest intervention comes as UK Parliament’s Culture, Media & Sport Committee recommended that, if the industry can’t design its own scheme, the government should force the likes of Netflix to pay a 5% revenue levy into a cultural fund that supports local high-end TV production.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Troopers located the Tesla and allegedly observed the vehicle traveling in the center lane at approximately 30 mph with its four-way hazard lights activated.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The final step requires flat ironing hair in small sections to activate the treatment.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The company intended to move the drug into late-stage testing, which is generally the last phase of development before a company submits the potential treatment to government regulators for approval.
    Time, Time, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The bill also included moving $1.1 million from the Constitutional Defense Fund into the Legislative Legal Defense Fund.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Families now must travel often far distances for their children’s youth sports competitions, which can be costly.
    Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The Jaguars, who were originally slated to pick eighth before Minnesota’s draft-night slide, traveled to Utah to work out the promising prospect, who was considered by many to be the top offensive tackle in the class.
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The Chubs had a long road to this seemingly happy ending.
    Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Electric cars hit the roads and smart phones hit the stores.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drive. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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