1
: carried out from a moving vehicle
a drive-by shooting
2
: done or made in a quick or cursory manner
Synonyms
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
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2024
There is evidence her support was inflated by drive-by resistance and Never Trump votes who were unlikely to back any Republican nominee in a general election.
—W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 July 2024
Mara Severin | Eating Out, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Mar. 2023
According to The Columbian, at the time of his arrest Sunday, Warren was out on bail after being charged with drive-by shooting, assault and felony harassment; he is accused of firing a gun at Melendez's apartment earlier this month.
—Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for drive-by 
Adjective
Drake’s 50,000-square-foot mansion in the city’s Bridle Path district was the scene of a recent drive-by shooting.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2024
There is evidence her support was inflated by drive-by resistance and Never Trump votes who were unlikely to back any Republican nominee in a general election.
—W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 July 2024
Noun
There’s a confidence to running your restaurant in a neighborhood that doesn’t rely on tourists, window shoppers or drive-by traffic.
—Mara Severin | Eating Out, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Mar. 2023
According to The Columbian, at the time of his arrest Sunday, Warren was out on bail after being charged with drive-by shooting, assault and felony harassment; he is accused of firing a gun at Melendez's apartment earlier this month.
—Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for drive-by
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drive-by.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near drive-by
Cite this Entry
“Drive-by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive-by. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share