drove

1 of 2

noun

ˈdrōv 

1

: a group of animals driven or moving in a body

2

: a large number : crowd

—usually used in plural especially with in

came in droves

drove

2 of 2

past tense of drive

Synonyms of drove

Noun

• flock
• swarm
• throng
• crowd
• horde

Examples of drove in a Sentence

Noun

people flocked to the annual festival in droves

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Caleb Brown’s single drove in Park for a 4-1 lead. —Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026

Bars and restaurants all around downtown Detroit are ready to welcome the droves of fans heading downtown to celebrate the home opener's crack of the bat and the beginning of baseball season at Comerica Park. —Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 2 Apr. 2026

His double drove in both Cunningham and Louisville recruit Colin Campbell. —Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026

If arriving from the south, on the way, stop in Glen Etive to experience the docile deer who will eat from your hand in their droves—a real spectacle. —Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English drāf, from drīfan to drive — more at drive

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing drove

• drove him to an early grave

Rhymes for drove

• clove
• cove
• rove
• shrove
• stove
• strove
• throve
• trove
• wove
• alcove
• mangrove

Kids Definition

drove

1 of 2 noun

ˈdrōv 

1

: a group of animals driven or moving in a body

2

: a crowd of people moving or acting together

drove

2 of 2

past of drive

Etymology

Noun

Old English drāf "group of animals moving together," from drīfan "to drive"