drive 1 of 2

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as in to run
to urge, push, or force onward cowboys drove the herd of cattle from San Antonio to San Francisco

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to motor
to travel by a motorized vehicle I'm going to drive across the country—want to come?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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drive

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in campaign
a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal a fund-raising drive for the school's marching band

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb drive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of drive are actuate, impel, and move. While all these words mean "to set or keep in motion," drive implies imparting forward and continuous motion and often stresses the effect rather than the impetus.

a ship driven aground by hurricane winds

When might actuate be a better fit than drive?

The words actuate and drive can be used in similar contexts, but actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion.

turbines actuated by waterpower

When would impel be a good substitute for drive?

While the synonyms impel and drive are close in meaning, impel is usually figurative and suggests a great motivating impetus.

a candidate impelled by ambition

When could move be used to replace drive?

In some situations, the words move and drive are roughly equivalent. However, move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position.

moved the furniture

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drive
Verb
Now, Medicaid is something that also drives and fuels rural health care. Obed Manuel, NPR, 14 May 2025 Right-hander Mitch Keller gave the Mets almost nothing to work with after a Brandon Nimmo drove in Juan Soto in the first inning. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
Noun
Details sent to the company included the health and read / write values of the drive using CrystalDiskInfo, which is a program that can read the SMART data embedded in most hard disks. Umar Shakir, The Verge, 7 Feb. 2023 As part of the drive for efficiency, NHS managers were pressured to keep bed vacancies low. David Luhnow, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for drive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drive
Verb
  • Applicants will be selected in August, and the program will run from September through November in New York City.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 5 May 2025
  • This story will run after Episode 4, but in Episode 3, clearly Dina wants something to happen in the tent.
    Kate Aurthur, Variety, 5 May 2025
Verb
  • The man appears to briefly lift the scooter away from the child’s leg, the child gets back on the scooter, and Miller eventually motors away.
    Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
  • Those motoring to work in a Rolls-Royce aren’t being left out, either.
    Susan Campos, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That is a false narrative that Republicans have been pushing for years now.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson must reconcile demands from conservatives pushing for deeper spending cuts with more moderates in swing districts voicing concerns about matters like the state and local tax (SALT) cap.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • As a mother of three children with autoimmune issues, Chevrier said she is forced to shop at specialty stores or make everything from scratch.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • So, does something like this become more important to force people to think and, again, put it into the perspective of kids who normally have much more optimism and have the chance to fix what other generations have completely f**ked up?
    Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Verb
  • The Reds traded for Connor Joe from the San Diego Padres before the game, and he was activated the next day.
    C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 12 May 2025
  • Burn bans are automatically activated by Florida counties whenever the Keetch-Byram Drought Index — a scale that measures the dryness of the soil — reaches or exceeds 500.
    Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Among girls' names, Mia moves into the top 5, knocking out Sophia, which was the No. 1 name for girls from 2011-2013 and had been in the top 5 every year from 2009 except for 2021.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • Henry moved up two spots from 2023, while Mateo and Elijah moved down.
    Anna Halkidis, Parents, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • To be in the same location, at least one pair would have to travel and pay for a place to stay, because neither of their apartments could fit everyone.
    Rhaina Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2025
  • In the comments section, many readers pointed out the obvious — the two women clearly have different styles of traveling.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • There are at least some echoes of the ultra-hyper violent God of War, the famed video game series, and that is getting a live-action adaptation on Amazon Prime Video down the road.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Armed with a clear shot of the getaway car’s license plate, authorities found the Ford Escape two days later, set ablaze on the side of a road in Palmdale.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drive. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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