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

Sandra Lim, The Curious Thing While there is an undercurrent of a breakup throughout this collection, particularly in the third section, what drives this book is a reorientation of the self in the world. — Literary Hub, 17 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 Wan’s sixth sense for finding stories that connect with audiences drives his work as a director and backs his work as a producer. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 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 And it’s been established that violence drives burnout, turnover and the departure of clinicians from the profession entirely. — Jason Fass, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026 The halt to trade and logistics also comes a few weeks before Dashain, a 15-day Hindu religious festival that significantly drives consumer spending and tourism annually. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026 But Slayton’s release drives home the message that every player needs to earn his spot. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Boone drives into Jones territory and lines up for a 51-yard field goal to end the half. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

Noun

Detroit went up 21-0 midway through the third quarter of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints after forcing turnovers on consecutive drives, and had to escape with a 31-30 overtime win. — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Twice Texas recovered its own fumbles on second-half scoring drives, including one on the play before Hollywood Smothers scored the winning touchdown with 25 seconds left. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 So her trips to the barn became drives with her mom to auditions, sometimes five days per week. — Marley Marius, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026 Canine Bode reclines in his own seating row in Speedman's Jeep Wagoneer for the cross-country drives, which require an assistant to help keep the dog's anxiety in check. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026 McKinsey’s finding that entertainment drives repeat engagement means fashion brands can no longer lean on clinical product demos. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026 The Giants ground through multiple lengthy possessions, with four of their seven drives lasting at least 10 plays. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 On back-to-back drives to end the second quarter, Thomas had a key pressure on Nix, then followed it with a sack. — Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 The region’s most photogenic drives, like the Beartooth Scenic Highway, provide a bird’s-eye view for leaf peepers. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drives

Verb

The per-student cost to the state is slightly higher than the amount each student actually receives, due to transaction fees that go to ClassWallet, the vendor that runs the school choice program's online platform.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
That’s why last winter represented such a golden opportunity for Allen or Jackson, in particular, to at last lead his team on one of those legacy-defining Super Bowl runs.

— Mike Jones, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of runs

Verb

Stitt pushes and unloads the heavy cart while Bayless guides the way with their list, checking off household staples like bottled water, sugar and toilet paper.

— Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
The constant contrast between pristine nature and industrial machinery is accompanied by a discordant synth-heavy score by composer Robert Nacken, that, at times, pushes the film along and, at others, deliberately drags against it.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of pushes

Verb

And most of them did not choose the economic arrangement that compels them to burn that carbon, that splits labor and leisure in this way, that organizes work and pleasure around certain kinds of mobility.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
The deal compels Facebook and Instagram to adopt new child-safety rules, including daily time caps, school-hour notification bans, stronger age checks and expanded parental controls aimed at harmful content.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of compels

Verb

Home asks for adjustments as the temperamental Moon activates your 4th House of Family and Foundations, bringing feelings up around privacy that supports your well‑being.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026
If the vehicle has no power and the window remains fully raised, Tesla warns the glass could shatter when someone activates the release.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of activates

Verb

Santiago’s next hearing is scheduled for September 21, the first of what could be a lengthy series of court proceedings as the case moves forward.

— Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Central Florida will see more widespread showers and thunderstorms this weekend and into next week as a disturbance moves across the region and brings additional moisture, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

— Keily Alfonzo, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of moves

Verb

Of course, the vitamin A derivative—which speeds up cellular turnover to reveal fresher-looking skin— has been known to irritate some skin types.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
This slows down premature certainty and speeds up better decisions once the picture clarifies.

— Gilda D'Incerti, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of speeds

Noun

Floodwater continued to cover highways and low-lying areas, disrupting traffic and daily life.

— Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Aitken’s 65-minute installation features multiple characters — played by Natasha Lyonne, Beck, members of the Los Angeles Dance Project and more — moving through settings across America, from deserts and remote mountains to factories and highways.

— Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026