1
2
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
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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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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
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drive
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Then Reddick drove over to Victory Lane, where a teary Michael Jordan was waiting to bear hug him, and where owner Denny Hamlin and teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst were waiting to congratulate him.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2026
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
According to the New York Times, the house is in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood and just a short drive from Nancy’s residence and that of her older daughter, Annie, and her husband.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drive
Verb
That would seem to drive some urgency among Democrats, but many are not in a compromising mood to provide more dollars to immigration enforcement.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Then Reddick drove over to Victory Lane, where a teary Michael Jordan was waiting to bear hug him, and where owner Denny Hamlin and teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst were waiting to congratulate him.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
Homeless assistance program, Donation drives, Job assistance programs Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding?
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
According to the New York Times, the house is in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood and just a short drive from Nancy’s residence and that of her older daughter, Annie, and her husband.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drive
Verb
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Cisco says the platform is built to support massive AI clusters running training, inference, and real-time agentic workloads while improving efficiency and lowering operating costs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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In September, the preliminary revision inferred that the US economy likely added about 911,000 fewer jobs than the jobs reports initially estimated for the 12-month period running from April 2024 through March 2025.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But just months into walking away from his writing métier, Winslow discovered, somewhat to his surprise, the same creative urgings that long served to motor his craft.—
Fred Schruers,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
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Still Talking, her final book, will star the same wonderful characters motoring through their days on tides of chat.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The decisions centered around the dates for quarterfinal and semifinal games, as well as the move to push the championship game back to even further in January has drawn some backlash.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Its forecast for profit in the current quarter fell short of analysts' expectations as an industrywide shortage of memory pushes some handset makers to cut back on orders.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Then a week later, Heraskevych received a wave of sympathetic support when he was forced out of the skeleton for refusing to compete without a helmet adorned with more than 20 elite Ukrainian athletes and coaches who have been killed in the war.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Scottie Barnes won the opening 12-minute game for the Stars with a game-ending 3-pointer in overtime, beating the World 37-36 after Edwards forced OT.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The garage sprinkler system had activated, helping control the fire prior to the department’s arrival, according to officials.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As a politicized national fight over waste, fraud and abuse led by Republicans have targeted California and its Democratic leadership, Bonta and other state officials have moved swiftly to combat the claims.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Moreover, the bottle had only ever moved between Burgundy and Bordeaux, a driving distance of roughly 300 miles.—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Epstein frequently traveled there, according to DOJ documents, and Barrack was involved in multiple real estate deals involving Middle Eastern governments.—
Daniel Ruetenik,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At peak periods, the lookout has drawn thousands of people a day, overwhelming narrow access roads and limited parking facilities.—
Trista Kurniawan,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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The Hogs never trailed in their second straight road win.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drive. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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