1
a
: to frighten or prod (game, cattle, etc.) into moving in a desired direction
drive cattle across the prairie
b
hunting
: to go through (an area) driving game animals
drive the other side of the mountain
2
: to carry on or through energetically
drives a hard bargain
3
a
: to impart a forward motion to by physical force
Waves drove the boat ashore.
drive the nail into the beam
b
: to repulse, remove, or cause to go by force, authority, or influence
drive the enemy back
c
: to set or keep in motion or operation
drive machinery by electricity
d
basketball
: to move quickly and forcefully down or along
drive the lane
drive the baseline
4
a
: to direct the motions and course of (a draft animal)
drive an ox
b
: to operate the mechanism and controls and direct the course of (a vehicle)
drive a car
c
: to convey in a vehicle
His father drove me home.
d
: to float (logs) down a stream
5
a
: to exert inescapable or coercive pressure on : force
driven by his passions
b
: to compel to undergo or suffer a change (as in situation or emotional state)
The constant noise drove us batty.
The competition drove them out of business.
see also drive (someone) bananas, drive (someone) nuts,drive (someone) up the wall
c
: to urge relentlessly to continuous exertion
the sergeant drove his recruits
d
: to press or force into an activity, course, or direction
Ambition drives them to succeed.
e
: to project, inject, or impress incisively
drove her point home
6
mining
: to force (a passage) by pressing or digging
drive a tunnel
7
a
: to propel (an object of play) swiftly or forcefully
drove a long fly ball to the warning track
b
golf
: to hit (a ball) from the tee especially with a driver (see driver sense f)
drove the ball down the fairway
also
: to drive a golf ball onto (a green)
c
baseball
: to cause (a run or runner) to be scored (see score entry 2 sense 4a(2))
—usually used with in
drove him in with a single
8
: to give shape or impulse to
factors that drive the business cycle
the ideas that have driven history
1
a
: to dash, plunge, or surge ahead rapidly or violently
rudely drove past her
b
: to progress with strong momentum
the rain was driving hard
c
basketball
: to make a quick and forceful move
driving to the hoop
2
a
: to operate a vehicle
learned to drive at the age of seventeen
b
: to have oneself carried in a vehicle
drove to Canada as a kid
3
golf
: to drive a golf ball
drove down the fairway
plural drives
often attributive
1
: an act of driving:
a
: a trip in a carriage or automobile
a short drive to the coast
b
: an instance of collecting and moving animals (such as game or cattle) together in a desired direction
also
: the animals gathered and driven (see drive entry 1 sense transitive 1a)
c
: a driving of cattle or sheep overland
d
: a hunt or shoot in which the game is driven within the hunter's range
e
: the guiding of logs downstream to a mill
also
: the floating logs amassed in a drive
f(1)
: the act or an instance of propelling an object of play (such as a golf ball) swiftly or forcefully
(2)
: the flight of a ball
a high drive to left field
2
a
: a private road : driveway
b
: a public road for driving (as in a park)
3
: the state of being hurried and under pressure
elude the ruthless drive of work and worry—
S. H. Adams
S. H. Adams4
a
: a strong systematic group effort
a fund-raising drive
The school held a food drive [=an event to collect food items for donation] to benefit the local shelter.
b
: a sustained offensive (see offensive entry 1 sense 1) effort
the drive ended in a touchdown
5
a
mechanical engineering
: the means for giving motion to a machine or machine part
b
: the means by which the propulsive power of an automobile is applied to the road
front wheel drive
c
: the means by which the propulsion of an automotive vehicle is controlled and directed
a left-hand drive
6
a
: an offensive, aggressive, or expansionist move
especially
: a strong military attack against enemy-held terrain
b
basketball
: a quick and aggressive move toward the basket
7
a
biology
: an urgent, basic, or instinctual need : a motivating physiological condition of an organism
a sexual drive
b
: an impelling culturally acquired concern, interest, or longing
the drive to succeed
c
: dynamic quality
his drive and enthusiasm overcame all obstacles—Times Literary Supplement
Times Literary Supplement8
computers
: a device for reading or writing on magnetic, optical, or electronic media (such as tapes, disks, or flash memory)
broadly
: memory sense 4
… the disk defragmenter doesn't just defrag a given drive… —Barry Brenesal
see also hard drive
Barry Brenesal Examples of drive in a Sentence
Verb
He drove the car down a bumpy road.
Do you want to drive or should I?
He is learning to drive.
The car stopped and then drove off.
A car drove by us slowly.
The bus slowly drove away.
We drove all night and arrived at dawn.
We drove 160 miles to get here.
I drive on this route every day.
I drive this route every day.
Noun
It's a two-hour drive to the beach.
Her house is an hour's drive east of Los Angeles.
We took a pleasant drive in the country.
Would you like to go for a drive?
A white car was parked in the drive.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ana Valdez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
What steps to follow when driving in the rain?
Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
James Nalton, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Potentially more significant are subsidies paid to companies that manufacture batteries in the United States, part of a drive by the Biden administration to establish a domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on China.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for drive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
This economic activity drives growth in industries from retail and automotive to housing and hospitality.
—Ana Valdez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
What steps to follow when driving in the rain?
Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
One of drive, skill, and physicality, and the two midfielders both possess the engine to return to their defensive positions quickly when needed.
—James Nalton, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Potentially more significant are subsidies paid to companies that manufacture batteries in the United States, part of a drive by the Biden administration to establish a domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on China.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for drive
Cite this Entry
“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drive
1 of 2 verb1
a
: to urge, push, or force onward
drive cattle
waves drove the boat ashore
b
: to cause to penetrate with force
drive a nail
2
a
: to direct the movement or course of (as a vehicle or animals drawing a vehicle)
b
: to move or transport in a vehicle
his father drove me home
3
: to set or keep in motion
drive machinery by electricity
4
: to carry through strongly
drive a bargain
5
a
: to force to act
driven by hunger to steal
b
: to project, inject, or impress forcefully
his last example drove the lesson home
6
: to bring into a specified condition
drove them out of business
7
: to force (a passage) by pressing or digging
8
: to move ahead rapidly or with great force
the rain was driving hard
9
a
: to hit (a ball or puck) with force
b
: to cause (a run or runner) to be scored in baseball
—usually used with in
drove in two runs
drive
2 of 2 noun1
: an act of driving: as
a
: a trip in a carriage or automobile
b
: a driving together of animals
c
: the guiding of logs downstream to a mill
d
: the act of driving a ball
e
: the flight of a ball
2
a
: driveway
b
: a public road (as in a park) for driving
3
: a long or forceful campaign
a charity drive
4
a
: an urgent or basic need or longing
b
: energetic quality
full of drive
5
a
: the means for giving motion to a machine or machine part
a chain drive
b
: the means by which the movement of an automotive vehicle is controlled and directed
front wheel drive
6
: a device for reading or writing data (as on magnetic tape or disks)
Medical Definition
drive
noun1
: an urgent, basic, or instinctual need : a motivating physiological condition of the organism
a sexual drive
2
: an impelling culturally acquired concern, interest, or longing
a drive for perfection
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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