Synonyms of driving

driving 1 of 2

adjective

as in dynamic

Related Words

• dynamic
• hustling
• motivated
• diligent
• hungry
• determined
• enterprising
• industrious
• spirited
• lively
• venturesome
• animated
• eager
• venturous
• impassioned
• gung ho
• competitive
• energetic
• aggressive
• vigorous
• avid
• competing
• ardent
• assertive
• opportunistic
• rival
• pushy
• pushing
• raring
• keen
• high-flying
• pretentious
• aspiring
• ambitious
• overambitious
• hard-driving
• rivalrous
• self-assertive
• go-getting
• self-seeking

Dissimilar Words

• indifferent
• disinterested
• uninterested
• casual
• apathetic
• lackadaisical
• unexcited
• easygoing
• sluggish
• unenthusiastic
• lazy
• lethargic
• shiftless
• uneager
• lukewarm
• listless
• tepid
• halfhearted
• lazyish
• spiritless
• unaggressive
• unassertive
• unambitious
• ambitionless

driving

2 of 2

verb

present participle of drive

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

• running
• shepherding
• punching
• herding
• whipping
• pressing
• spurring
• wrangling
• hounding
• prodding
• exhorting
• prompting
• goading
• flogging
• egging
• pricking
• scourging

2

as in riding

to travel by a motorized vehicle

I'm going to drive across the country—want to come?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• riding
• motoring
• racing
• automobiling
• tooling
• taxiing
• rolling
• wheeling
• dragging
• chauffeuring
• hacking
• joyriding

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

• pushing
• shoving
• thrusting
• propelling
• moving
• jamming
• squeezing
• forcing
• bearing (down)
• compressing
• pressuring
• weighing (upon)
• impelling
• depressing
• compelling
• leaning (on or against)
• squashing
• ramming
• bulldozing
• muscling

4

as in forcing

to cause (a person) to give in to pressure

the corrupt governor was driven out of office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forcing
• coercing
• compelling
• obliging
• obligating
• pressuring
• constraining
• pressing
• dragooning
• making
• impressing
• sandbagging
• blackmailing
• muscling
• impelling
• intimidating
• blackjacking
• bullying
• dragging
• threatening
• bulldozing
• browbeating
• terrorizing
• twisting one's arm
• cowing
• hectoring
• shaming
• badgering
• harassing
• menacing
• hounding
• high-pressuring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permitting
• letting
• allowing
• moving
• talking (into)
• arguing
• inducing
• winning (over)
• satisfying
• prevailing (on or upon)
• convincing
• persuading

5

as in activating

to cause to function

machinery driven by waterpower

Synonyms & Similar Words

• activating
• triggering
• sparking
• moving
• powering
• fueling
• generating
• starting
• running
• pushing
• igniting
• charging
• actuating
• setting off
• provoking
• touching off
• firing
• turning on
• cranking (up)
• electrifying
• switching
• launching
• energizing
• tripping
• stimulating
• accelerating
• discharging
• releasing
• recharging
• turning over
• exciting
• kicking over
• inciting
• reactivating
• arousing
• instigating
• quickening
• catalyzing
• vitalizing
• stirring up
• jump-starting
• kick-starting
• stepping up
• speeding (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cutting
• killing
• checking
• stopping
• cutting out
• braking
• shutting off
• sticking
• turning off
• arresting
• stalling
• cutting off
• halting
• jamming
• drawing up
• slowing
• deactivating
• suppressing
• repressing
• decelerating
• stunting

6

as in moving

to set or keep in motion

this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft

Synonyms & Similar Words

• moving
• activating
• propelling
• working
• actuating
• stimulating
• triggering
• raising
• motivating
• impelling
• provoking
• inciting
• tripping
• stirring (up)
• fermenting
• abetting
• whipping (up)
• setting off
• fomenting
• exciting
• firing (up)
• galvanizing
• rousing
• arousing
• inspiring
• instigating
• inflaming

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• controlling
• checking
• regulating
• restraining
• containing
• curbing
• inhibiting
• constraining
• bridling
• reining (in)

7

as in speeding

to proceed or move quickly

the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop

Synonyms & Similar Words

• speeding
• traveling
• racing
• flying
• rushing
• hurrying
• trotting
• scurrying
• chasing
• zipping
• jumping
• running
• buzzing
• scooting
• blowing
• darting
• blasting
• stepping
• zooming
• dashing
• tearing
• ramming
• shooting
• motoring
• ripping
• bowling
• scuttling
• jogging
• hustling
• whirling
• bolting
• blazing
• barreling
• careening
• careering
• hurling
• rocketing
• hurtling
• humping
• bundling
• haring
• hastening
• bustling
• whisking
• coursing
• breezing
• jetting
• galloping
• belting
• rustling
• nipping
• cracking (on)
• pelting
• highballing
• bombing
• beating it
• cannonballing
• hying
• accelerating
• flitting
• getting a move on
• making tracks
• stepping on it
• shaking a leg
• sprinting
• scampering
• whizzing
• scudding
• hotfooting (it)
• streaking
• scuffling
• stampeding
• overtaking
• outrunning
• quickening
• beetling
• outpacing
• stepping out
• outstripping
• catching up
• beelining
• fast-forwarding
• arrowing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creeping
• crawling
• poking
• dragging
• lingering
• hanging (around or out)
• lagging
• poking
• strolling
• dawdling
• loitering
• shuffling
• sauntering
• ambling
• dallying
• plodding
• lumbering
• decelerating
• tarrying
• slowing (down or up)
• dillydallying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of driving

Adjective

New Jersey, ranking third, also has strict driving laws and the third-most driving schools per capita. — Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025

Keep going For the rest of the time, the 911 GTS evoked far more driving pleasure. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 15 Aug. 2025

Verb

Every day while driving to work or running errands, this new view of her hands upset her. — Taylor Swinton, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026

His top priorities include driving economic growth, creating well-paying jobs, and expanding opportunities for both union and non-union workers. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026