Synonyms of drives

drives 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of drive

1

as in runs

to urge, push, or force onward

cowboys drove the herd of cattle from San Antonio to San Francisco

Synonyms & Similar Words

• runs
• herds
• punches
• shepherds
• whips
• presses
• spurs
• prompts
• eggs
• exhorts
• prods
• wrangles
• goads
• pricks
• hounds
• flogs
• scourges

2

as in motors

to travel by a motorized vehicle

I'm going to drive across the country—want to come?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• motors
• automobiles
• tools
• rides
• races
• wheels
• rolls
• taxis
• drags
• chauffeurs
• joyrides
• hacks

3

as in pushes

to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one

drove the plunger into the opening

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pushes
• shoves
• propels
• thrusts
• moves
• jams
• squeezes
• forces
• impels
• pressures
• bears (down)
• compels
• compresses
• weighs (upon)
• depresses
• squashes
• muscles
• rams
• leans (on or against)
• bulldozes

4

as in compels

to cause (a person) to give in to pressure

the corrupt governor was driven out of office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compels
• forces
• coerces
• obliges
• obligates
• pressures
• impels
• constrains
• presses
• impresses
• makes
• muscles
• blackmails
• intimidates
• dragoons
• bullies
• sandbags
• drags
• threatens
• cows
• bulldozes
• twists one's arm
• browbeats
• terrorizes
• blackjacks
• shames
• menaces
• harasses
• hectors
• high-pressures
• badgers
• hounds

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• allows
• permits
• lets
• moves
• argues
• induces
• satisfies
• talks (into)
• wins (over)
• prevails (on or upon)
• convinces
• persuades

5

as in activates

to cause to function

machinery driven by waterpower

Synonyms & Similar Words

• activates
• triggers
• sparks
• moves
• fuels
• generates
• powers
• starts
• runs
• ignites
• sets off
• pushes
• provokes
• actuates
• turns on
• cranks (up)
• touches off
• fires
• charges
• electrifies
• launches
• stimulates
• energizes
• trips
• switches
• turns over
• releases
• accelerates
• discharges
• incites
• kicks over
• excites
• arouses
• recharges
• reactivates
• instigates
• stirs up
• catalyzes
• quickens
• speeds (up)
• jump-starts
• kick-starts
• steps up
• vitalizes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• kills
• cuts
• stops
• brakes
• turns off
• cuts out
• shuts off
• arrests
• checks
• sticks
• stalls
• halts
• jams
• cuts off
• slows
• deactivates
• draws up
• suppresses
• represses
• decelerates
• stunts

6

as in moves

to set or keep in motion

this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft

Synonyms & Similar Words

• moves
• activates
• propels
• works
• impels
• actuates
• stimulates
• triggers
• motivates
• provokes
• raises
• trips
• incites
• stirs (up)
• ferments
• sets off
• inspires
• whips (up)
• abets
• excites
• foments
• arouses
• rouses
• fires (up)
• instigates
• galvanizes
• inflames

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• contains
• regulates
• controls
• restrains
• inhibits
• checks
• curbs
• constrains
• reins (in)
• bridles

7

as in speeds

to proceed or move quickly

the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop

Synonyms & Similar Words

• speeds
• travels
• rushes
• races
• hurries
• scurries
• flies
• chases
• trots
• runs
• zips
• jumps
• buzzes
• blows
• scoots
• rips
• jogs
• rams
• steps
• dashes
• shoots
• scuttles
• blasts
• motors
• zooms
• darts
• bowls
• tears
• hustles
• whirls
• bolts
• hurls
• barrels
• courses
• blazes
• hastens
• whisks
• hurtles
• belts
• careens
• rustles
• careers
• cracks (on)
• jets
• humps
• bustles
• bundles
• hies
• nips
• beats it
• rockets
• breezes
• steps on it
• pelts
• hares
• gallops
• makes tracks
• bombs
• gets a move on
• accelerates
• shakes a leg
• flits
• highballs
• scampers
• cannonballs
• hotfoots (it)
• sprints
• whizzes
• overtakes
• streaks
• stampedes
• outruns
• beetles
• outpaces
• quickens
• outstrips
• scuds
• steps out
• scuffles
• arrows
• catches up
• beelines
• fast-forwards

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• crawls
• drags
• lingers
• pokes
• lags
• creeps
• hangs (around or out)
• pokes
• loiters
• strolls
• dawdles
• shuffles
• saunters
• ambles
• tarries
• dallies
• slows (down or up)
• plods
• lumbers
• decelerates
• dillydallies

drives

2 of 2

noun

plural of drive

1

as in highways

a passage cleared for public vehicular travel

raced our motorcycles along the drive

Synonyms & Similar Words

• highways
• roads
• streets
• routes
• freeways
• thoroughfares
• expressways
• roadways
• carriageways
• boulevards
• arteries
• turnpikes
• passes
• arterials
• ways
• causeways
• lanes
• interstates
• drags
• avenues
• rows
• pike
• thruways
• traces
• high roads
• motorways
• bypasses
• parkways
• corridors
• trails
• superhighways
• alleys
• tracks
• through streets
• autobahns
• side streets
• ring roads
• beltways
• switchbacks
• secondary roads
• Main Streets
• crossroads
• dual carriageways
• byways
• branches
• side roads
• circles
• autostradas
• alleyways
• places
• dead ends
• autoroutes
• backstreets
• corniches
• high streets
• closes
• shunpikes
• bystreets
• mews
• cul-de-sacs
• laneways

2

as in campaigns

a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal

a fund-raising drive for the school's marching band

Synonyms & Similar Words

• campaigns
• movements
• pushes
• causes
• crusades
• initiatives
• marches
• projects
• juggernauts
• actions
• bandwagons
• blitzes
• bids
• attacks
• maneuvers
• assaults
• missions
• offensives
• enterprises
• undertakings

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drives

Verb

As any storyteller knows, tension and contrast is what drives audience interest. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Normally, this camera records everyone who drives down this street. — Meg Anderson, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026

The creator’s taste drives the business, but the business eventually needs more output than one person can produce. — Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

As buyers demand higher yields, that in turn drives up the Treasury’s borrowing needs. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026

Robinson’s father drives it while Robinson controls the camera, filming each run. — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Sastry drives the company’s AI strategy and deployment across the enterprise and for its clients. — Sastry Durvasula, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026

Locarno Pro itself drives to identify opportunities during good times and industry malaise. — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

In mammalian aging, the abrupt changes show there is some kind of signaling that drives the system. — Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026

Noun

The fourth-round pick played only 15 snaps but was solid, completing 5-of-7 passes for 65 yards and leading the Jets on two scoring drives. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield and Bo Nix will all get to lead drives, according to their respective head coaches. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Payton said this week the plan for Nix will be about 14 plays, so a couple of drives, depending on how productive the offense is early in the game. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026

When refugees from Syria and Rohingya started coming to the United States, Ibrahim said UMMA started coat drives, food boxes for refugees, and offered rental assistance to those who needed a place to live. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) drives to the basket during a WNBA game between the Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries on June 19, 2026 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

While generic drives can install disc games to the app, the Remix remains essential for cartridges. — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Back-to-back 3-and-out drives also didn’t help and Lake Mary only gained about 45 yards in the second half. — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026

The first pick of the second round caught seven passes for 63 yards on his three drives, including two impressive catches on the TD drive. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026