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

For many in the industry, a tentpole feature is one that costs more than $100 million to produce, often exceeding $200 million or $250 million, and that drives significant traffic to movie theaters. — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026

Beyond the gore, there’s room to explore who these people are and what drives them. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

This conclusion drives home that Chris will never be able to fully vanquish evil; he’ll be stuck in a loop, eternally pursuing this specter. — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026

Filling a pothole matters to the person who drives over it every day, but repeatedly filling the same hole without addressing the underlying street condition is not an effective use of taxpayer dollars. — Vince Fattore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

To put it bluntly, who cares what’s under the hood if no one ever drives the car? — Larisa Summers, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Thami Schweichler, the founder of URC, said investment in repair drives positive social change and helps brands to achieve their circularity goals. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Speakers noted the Republican nominee's oil and gas investments as the energy sector amasses profits while the Iran war drives up fuel costs. — Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026

Battery demand drives expansion The timing of the investment reflects several industries placing greater demands on batteries and electricity infrastructure. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026

Noun

In the Mississippi State loss, two of Mizzou’s three touchdown drives began on the Bulldogs’ side of the field. — Pj Green october 1, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

This component's other skills include locating large files and folders, locating empty files, irretrievably erasing drives (other than the boot drive), uninstalling apps, and defragmenting disks and the registry. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Homeowners have access to game drives and guided bush walks, along with the spa and dining at Thanda’s lodges. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 29 Sep. 2026

Several first-half drives that moved inside the 20-yard line resulted in field goals rather than touchdowns. — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

The Cowboys trailed 24-13 in the third quarter before Prescott led a pair of touchdown drives. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Lamar Jackson used his big right arm and a little bit of quick thinking to lead the Baltimore Ravens to one of their shortest and most memorable drives in franchise history. — CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

The Seminoles will lean on Kromah to help sustain drives in what will be a crucial month ahead for the team and Norvell. — Bob Ferrante, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026

The Hurricanes scored on eight consecutive drives, notching seven touchdowns and one field goal. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026