1
2
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
4
as in compels
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the corrupt governor was driven out of office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in activates
to cause to function
machinery driven by waterpower
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in moves
to set or keep in motion
this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in highways
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel
raced our motorcycles along the drive
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drives
Tovia Smith, NPR, 7 May 2026
As with all the company’s apparel and merchandise purchases, a portion of the proceeds supports the Guy Harvey Foundation, which funds scientific research, advances education and drives advocacy to protect marine ecosystems.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 7 May 2026
Rein in corporate consolidation of rental housing that drives up prices and reduces tenant leverage.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
That gap drives homelessness, emergency room overcrowding and public safety challenges.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game 2 of their playoff series in New York City.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 7 May 2026
Imagining an eternity of this, Creasy disables his car’s braking system and drives into a concrete pylon.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
The ruling should be effective for a period of time and for any vehicle the person drives in the future.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The introduction of restrictive gun legislation historically drives up sales, according to The Trace.
—Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
The tight ends also got involved, as Steven Stilianos and Shawn Bowman both had big catches during the Storm’s two scoring drives.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
But the Lakers are a paint-heavy team that doesn’t generate a high volume of drives.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Vickie Franklin, a nurse and the church’s health program coordinator, says the church has hosted vaccine drives and sessions on heart disease and dementia.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 4 May 2026
In fact, Sankar’s research indicates that hard disk drives, or HDDs, are in shorter supply than NAND.
—Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 3 May 2026
For those flying in, Dulles International Airport (IAD) offers the most direct access, with scenic drives through Virginia’s wine country.
—Hayley Hutson, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026
Bethea said Stokes not only can rattle the rim with spectacular dunks off drives to the basket, but can drill outside shots past the 3-point line.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
The forceful drives turned into desperation jumpers.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
So does her husband who drives a van for people with disabilities.
—Tovia Smith, NPR, 7 May 2026
As with all the company’s apparel and merchandise purchases, a portion of the proceeds supports the Guy Harvey Foundation, which funds scientific research, advances education and drives advocacy to protect marine ecosystems.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 7 May 2026
Rein in corporate consolidation of rental housing that drives up prices and reduces tenant leverage.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
That gap drives homelessness, emergency room overcrowding and public safety challenges.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game 2 of their playoff series in New York City.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 7 May 2026
Imagining an eternity of this, Creasy disables his car’s braking system and drives into a concrete pylon.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
The ruling should be effective for a period of time and for any vehicle the person drives in the future.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The introduction of restrictive gun legislation historically drives up sales, according to The Trace.
—Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
Many Stanley tumblers also fit seamlessly into standard car cupholders, adding convenience for daily drives and cross-country journeys.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
The tight ends also got involved, as Steven Stilianos and Shawn Bowman both had big catches during the Storm’s two scoring drives.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
But the Lakers are a paint-heavy team that doesn’t generate a high volume of drives.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Vickie Franklin, a nurse and the church’s health program coordinator, says the church has hosted vaccine drives and sessions on heart disease and dementia.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 4 May 2026
In fact, Sankar’s research indicates that hard disk drives, or HDDs, are in shorter supply than NAND.
—Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 3 May 2026
For those flying in, Dulles International Airport (IAD) offers the most direct access, with scenic drives through Virginia’s wine country.
—Hayley Hutson, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026
Bethea said Stokes not only can rattle the rim with spectacular dunks off drives to the basket, but can drill outside shots past the 3-point line.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
The forceful drives turned into desperation jumpers.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drives
Verb
-
The building’s backstory runs almost as deep as its celebrity roster.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
7 May 2026
-
Fans of First Watch in the Treasure Valley can expect more locations, according to Richards, owner and operator of Rise and Smile, the restaurant franchise group that runs First Watch locations in Idaho and Utah.—
Michael Deeds
May 7,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The overnight storms were part of a broader severe weather outbreak that is expected to continue April 28 as the system pushes farther east and new storms develop to the south.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Castle Rock’s internal guidance pushes the story toward testing, consultations, and monitoring while pulling it away from hard claims about outcomes.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Yet the Gospel compels us to do just that.—
William E. Lori,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Perhaps that’s what compels me, somewhere in the middle of our lunch, to unmask.—
Zeba Blay,
SELF,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Moon in Sagittarius activates your 3rd House of Communication, encouraging direct expression and clearer exchanges.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
This activates systems in your body that control your stress levels and your hormones.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Light-diffusing pigments blur the look of dark circles, blemishes, and uneven skin tone with a soft-focus effect, while the proprietary Flex Form Matrix technology creates a breathable layer that moves with the skin throughout the day—without settling into fine lines or creasing.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
10 May 2026
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Access to capable hardware lowers barriers, speeds iteration, and enables real-world testing beyond simulations, accelerating progress in embodied AI, especially in manipulation and applied robotics.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
-
In the video, the vehicle speeds away.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The redesign, mandated by the City Council in a 2023 law, adds 43 miles to the city’s 1970s-era network of truck routes — and in so doing, officials hope, streamlines access to highways and industry.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
The highways, commerce and population have changed our environment — and often, not for the better.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The campaigns themselves continued sharpening those contrasts after the debate ended.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Days after four Republican candidates withdrew from the upcoming Platte County election and launched independent campaigns, the county’s Republican committee announced plans to censure those candidates and deem them unwelcome within the party.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drives. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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