drive-by

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of drive-bynext
1
: carried out from a moving vehicle
a drive-by shooting
2
: done or made in a quick or cursory manner

drive-by

2 of 2

noun

plural drive-bys
: a drive-by shooting

Examples of drive-by in a Sentence

Adjective the administrator's schedule left her with no time to make more than a drive-by assessment of the situation
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.
Adjective
Moore arrived for more of a drive-by, swinging in to chat with Ami founder Alexandre Mattiussi and other guests in a white skirt suit and matching sunglasses. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 17 May 2026 Another Oklahoma inmate, Kendrick Simpson, received a lethal injection in February for the drive-by shooting deaths of two men in 2006. CBS News, 14 May 2026
Noun
Ali was charged in Dakota County with two counts of drive-by shooting charges and one count of second-degree assault for the Burnsville shooting. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026 The violence increased in March when his synagogue was also targeted in a drive-by shooting. Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drive-by

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1977, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drive-by was in 1968

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drive-by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive-by. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster