DRIVES Synonyms: 344 Similar and Opposite Words

drives 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of drive

as in runs

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

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Relevance

as in motors

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

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as in pushes

to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one drove the plunger into the opening

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as in compels

to cause (a person) to give in to pressure the corrupt governor was driven out of office

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in activates

to cause to function machinery driven by waterpower

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as in moves

to set or keep in motion this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft

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as in speeds

to proceed or move quickly the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop

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drives

2 of 2

noun

plural of drive

as in highways

a passage cleared for public vehicular travel raced our motorcycles along the drive

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as in campaigns

a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal a fund-raising drive for the school's marching band

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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 drives

Verb

Lucy’s behavior may be frustratingly inconsistent, but many viewers will recognize the immeasurable suffering that drives it. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 Additive manufacturing drives development A major part of Beehive’s development strategy involves additive manufacturing. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026 Creativity drives engagement; sound fundamentals keep the business alive. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 What drives these reactions is fear, a powerful core emotion. — Juli Fraga, Time, 29 Oct. 2026 Gabby Williams #1 of the Golden State Valkyries drives to the basket against Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream during the third quarter in game two of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center on October 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. — Alex Sherman, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2026 For better or worse, the internet drives much of our daily lives and the economy, and what makes the internet possible? — Sara Herschander, Vox, 29 Oct. 2026 Is that the kind of hubristic myth-of-genius move that often drives proxy firms and large shareholders crazy? — Diane Brady, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 And more importantly, what is this anxiety so many men feel about their emotions that drives them to torturously invent bodies that bear little resemblance to the human form? — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026

Noun

From the classroom to the council chamber Voters of Tomorrow chapters are meeting with local officials, hosting voter registration drives on campuses and holding information sessions at high schools. — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026 In some cases the questions were put on the ballot with petition drives by citizens frustrated with the actions - or lack of action - by their state lawmakers. — Jahd Khalil, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026 If the Panthers don’t turn the ball over and can force the Packers to sustain eight-, nine- or 10-play drives — aka not give up explosive plays — then there is a legitimate path to victory here. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2026 Lathan has participated in back-to-school drives for children in Florida and taught at youth football camps. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026 Along with local food drives held by the community, the pantry receives food from retailers, bakeries and farms. — Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026 Prescott finished long drives with scores that McKee was unable to match. — CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Challenger 3 drives demand The new facility will support Britain’s Challenger 3 tank program, which will use a 120mm smoothbore gun. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026 The Jags led Denver 13-6 going into the fourth quarter in Week 2, but allowed consecutive touchdown drives and lost 20-13 on the road. — Mark Long, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drives

Verb

Jeff Stotts, an athletic trainer who runs a site that tracks sports injuries, wrote that since 2005, just one player had sustained a torn labrum like Wallace’s and returned later that season.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
Brodeur, 51, of Sanford, runs a consulting firm, Anchor Consulting LLC, and was the previous president and CEO of the Seminole County Chamber.

— Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of runs

Verb

The textile industry has been increasingly investing in Vietnam amid diversification pushes out from China.

— Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026
With that in mind, Ultron pushes Thomas to face painful truths about his insecurities over his deadbeat dad and his hunger for Vision’s fatherly love.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of pushes

Verb

Not the kind of empathy that simply allows someone to understand another person’s struggles, but the kind that compels them to do something about it.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Here, Hendrikx plays anthropologist to a culture that compels each of us—whether a rider or not—to find our own vehicle for fulfillment, then take it to redline.

— Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of compels

Verb

The agency rejected the recommendation, saying that using cameras that automatically activate when an officer pulls their weapon or activates a car siren could risk privacy concerns.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
And a few are very highly specific, such as the protease that activates insulin, which only cuts near a very specific series of amino acids.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of activates

Verb

As part of its process, the powered gimbal moves the image around in the general direction the projector's already facing, stopping the movement several times in the process before continuing, and adjusting the image size several times as well.

— M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Flight testing moves forward L3Harris has reached the second phase of the Army’s Xtended Range Counter-sUAS Missile program.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of moves

Verb

Researchers have identified a new bacterial enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of polyesters and bioplastics.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
For health care CFOs, the challenge is distinguishing between an AI tool that speeds up billing and one that helps patients get the right care in the right setting—potentially changing the economics of care itself.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of speeds

Noun

The records show that for nearly three years now, Florida’s highways have been racing with troopers’ black-and-tan patrol cars chasing drivers, even for non-violent offenses, leaving a trail of severe crashes, injuries and deaths.

— Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Oklahoma's Highway Patrol signed all of its troopers on to 287(g), giving their officers the power to stop a driver and potentially make an immigration arrest on state highways.

— Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 28 Oct. 2026