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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of drives
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
This sector, focusing on vessels over 30 meters, drives manufacturing, skilled employment, and tourism.
—
Katia Damborsky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
In one scene, the crew drives into Yosemite, where towering granite walls and sweeping vistas leave most visitors speechless.
—
Amber Harding Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Vox Media’s premium ad marketplace Concert is part of the transaction, as is Forte, the first-party data platform that drives high-margin ad sales.
—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Johnson immediately lets out an expletive and quickly drives past the animal.
—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2025
For example, a lack of government buy-in and support means insurance companies aren’t as likely to cover genetic screening, which drives up costs and puts tests out of reach for many patients.
—
Tyler Shepherd,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2025
Far from being a drain on city resources, historic preservation drives long-term economic growth.
—
Bruce D Coons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
So, what's so special about these little beauties, enough that protecting their honor drives a young video game journalist to kill his friend as retribution for crimes committed against their tiny artificially intelligent souls?
—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Graham expanded into the space business in 2021 by acquiring Barber-Nichols , a supplier of specialty turbomachinery, pumps and electronic drives.
—
Deena Zaidi,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
Early on, Jonah couldn't be indoors during rumbling Florida thunderstorms because the noise reminded Jonah of the collapse, so father and son would take long drives until the storm subsided.
—
Marisa Peñaloza,
NPR,
24 June 2026
Yet during those final years, his family always used to take him on Sunday drives.
—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
24 June 2026
Road trips are having a moment this summer, with interest spiking for some of our nation’s most beloved drives and many Americans expecting to hit the open road in the coming months.
—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
Instead of focusing only on game drives and Big Five sightings, the experience can also include tracking wildlife, reading animal behavior, understanding subtle signs in the landscape, sleeping out under the stars, astronomy lessons and wildlife seminars.
—
Emese MacZko,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
While its roots are firmly planted in the Lone Star State, its atmosphere is surprisingly reminiscent of the English countryside, where scenic drives, historic villages, and leisurely afternoons are part of everyday life.
—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
Josh O’Connor plays Daniel Kellner, a cybersecurity specialist with a stash of top-secret data on a collection of drives in a backpack.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
Verb
What drives so many people to 1) use racial slurs, then 2) go on Love Island USA?
—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
This sector, focusing on vessels over 30 meters, drives manufacturing, skilled employment, and tourism.
—
Katia Damborsky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
In one scene, the crew drives into Yosemite, where towering granite walls and sweeping vistas leave most visitors speechless.
—
Amber Harding Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Vox Media’s premium ad marketplace Concert is part of the transaction, as is Forte, the first-party data platform that drives high-margin ad sales.
—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Johnson immediately lets out an expletive and quickly drives past the animal.
—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2025
For example, a lack of government buy-in and support means insurance companies aren’t as likely to cover genetic screening, which drives up costs and puts tests out of reach for many patients.
—
Tyler Shepherd,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2025
Far from being a drain on city resources, historic preservation drives long-term economic growth.
—
Bruce D Coons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
So, what's so special about these little beauties, enough that protecting their honor drives a young video game journalist to kill his friend as retribution for crimes committed against their tiny artificially intelligent souls?
—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
His blend of power, explosiveness and coordination on his drives and transition gives him tools other players can’t match.
—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Graham expanded into the space business in 2021 by acquiring Barber-Nichols , a supplier of specialty turbomachinery, pumps and electronic drives.
—
Deena Zaidi,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
Early on, Jonah couldn't be indoors during rumbling Florida thunderstorms because the noise reminded Jonah of the collapse, so father and son would take long drives until the storm subsided.
—
Marisa Peñaloza,
NPR,
24 June 2026
Yet during those final years, his family always used to take him on Sunday drives.
—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
24 June 2026
Road trips are having a moment this summer, with interest spiking for some of our nation’s most beloved drives and many Americans expecting to hit the open road in the coming months.
—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
Instead of focusing only on game drives and Big Five sightings, the experience can also include tracking wildlife, reading animal behavior, understanding subtle signs in the landscape, sleeping out under the stars, astronomy lessons and wildlife seminars.
—
Emese MacZko,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
While its roots are firmly planted in the Lone Star State, its atmosphere is surprisingly reminiscent of the English countryside, where scenic drives, historic villages, and leisurely afternoons are part of everyday life.
—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
Josh O’Connor plays Daniel Kellner, a cybersecurity specialist with a stash of top-secret data on a collection of drives in a backpack.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drives
Verb
-
Investigators were also searching a path that starts at the park and runs the length of the town.
-
The vote totals reset for Phase 2, which runs from next Monday through Thursday.
Verb
-
Even most CEOs don’t have a full picture of which AI tools their teams are using.
-
Liccardo asked Atkins whether the SEC has opened an investigation into the trades, and what tools the SEC has to investigate them.
Verb
-
Meta announced its new set of smart glasses priced at $299, undercutting some of its earlier models as the company pushes to bring wearables to a broader audience.
-
When an agent moves money inside a payments platform, alters a record in a hospital network or pushes code into production, the damage is harder to contain.
Verb
-
This ruling compels companies to confront systemic biases embedded in their hiring data, rather than solely blaming technology.
-
When systemic failures persist, lawsuits are the catalyst that compels meaningful reform and protects children who cannot protect themselves.
Verb
-
The study identified phytic acid as one trigger that activates it.
-
Beliefs bump against reality as the emotional Moon activates your 9th House of Learning, quincunx combative Mars in your 4th House of Home.
Verb
-
Your mind takes you on an adventure as Jupiter moves into Leo today.
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.
Verb
-
Frequent mowing keeps clippings small, preventing smothering and speeds up decomposition for reuse.
-
The First Alert Weather Team is keeping an eye on this next storm system, just in case the timeline speeds up.
Noun
-
Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.
-
In the city of Taoyuan, home to the island's largest international airport, tanks drove down city streets and highways, videos and photos of the exercise showed, as armored vehicles from the Army’s 269th Infantry Brigade conducted combat readiness patrols morning.
Cite this Entry
“Drives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drives. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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