1
as in running
to urge, push, or force onward
cowboys drove the herd of cattle from San Antonio to San Francisco
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in pushing
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 forcing
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 activating
to cause to function
machinery driven by waterpower
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in moving
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 travelling
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
as in dynamic
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of driving
Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 17 Mar. 2023
This non-driving person is entirely befuddled by such matters.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 21 June 2022
Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Payne, of Weathersfield, Vermont, was last seen driving an older model black Audi sedan, police said.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for driving
Verb
View Photos Some dual-motor all-wheel-drive electrics—such as early versions of the Tesla Model Y—offer more driving range than their two-wheel-drive analogs due to careful calibration to only use a single motor during the EPA's test cycles.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 17 Mar. 2023
This non-driving person is entirely befuddled by such matters.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 21 June 2022
Adjective
Though their onscreen chemistry was undoubtedly a driving force for the show, things took an unexpected turn circa 2013.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Payne, of Weathersfield, Vermont, was last seen driving an older model black Audi sedan, police said.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for driving
Recent Examples of Synonyms for driving
Verb
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After a solid performance in the 2025 opener against Western Michigan, Chiles turned in a breakout performance in an overtime win against Boston College, passing for 231 yards and four touchdowns and running for another score.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Some long-running novelas will be made available on Disney+ either next day or within a month of airing on Atresmedia’s free-to-air channels.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Instead, 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack while riding a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train home from work.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Stepheny Price , Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Three days later, the US Marshals Service found him in Texas, riding a bus headed to Mexico.—
Taylor Romine,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Her comments come as Democrats face a leadership crossroads in Washington, with long-serving figures under scrutiny and younger candidates pushing for change.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
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The Angels made a late change to their rotation, pushing all of the pitchers back a day and having right-hander José Ureña start Wednesday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The storm reshaped the coastline, forcing a rushed build and rebuild of the course.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Wildfires destroyed 12,000 structures around Altadena and Pacific Palisades – cutting housing supply and forcing victims to seek new living arrangements.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Otherwise, the sheer magnitude of America’s natural gas resource has enabled drillers to quickly overwhelm temporary spikes in prices by activating a number of additional drillings and driving prices back down with higher production volumes.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The stand's design holds the watch on its side, automatically activating Nightstand Mode and turning your watch into a bedside clock.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Woolen was running stride-for-stride with Pearsall but misplayed the ball and slowed down while the second-year wideout kept moving forward.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cavitation, on the other hand, provides a high-energy, controllable launch system that doesn’t require onboard power or moving parts.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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It is blessed with a huge territory, a dynamic economy and the strategic luxury of large oceans on its east and west and much smaller powers to its north and south.—
John Rennie Short,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
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CEOs and global leaders will gather for a dynamic, invitation-only event shaping the future of business.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Amato was head of HBO Films from 2007-20, shepherding original movies including The Normal Heart, Recount, Fahrenheit 451 and Temple Grandin, among many others, during his tenure.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
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Several planting and trail stabilization projects have taken place in recent years, and currently the Friends group is shepherding a project to repair the trail’s pedestrian bridge.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Driving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/driving. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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