DROVE Synonyms: 305 Similar and Opposite Words

drove 1 of 2

noun

ˈdrōv

Definition of drove

as in flock

a great number of persons or creatures massed together people flocked to the annual festival in droves

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Relevance

as in swarm

a group of domestic animals assembled or herded together a drove of cattle

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drove

2 of 2

verb

past tense of drive

as in ran

to urge, push, or force onward cowboys drove the herd of cattle from San Antonio to San Francisco

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as in rode

to travel by a motorized vehicle I'm going to drive across the country—want to come?

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as in pushed

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 forced

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 triggered

to cause to function machinery driven by waterpower

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as in moved

to set or keep in motion this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft

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as in sped

to proceed or move quickly the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop

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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 drove

Noun

When the news broke, Phillips said, droves of Dollyologists reached out to her to share in the grief. — Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026 Their fledgling relationship has provided a bright spot for droves of fans around the globe who are mourning the death of Shadow's longtime partner, Jackie, following a mysterious illness earlier this month. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Verb

The Marlins eventually loaded the bases and Heriberto Hernández drove in a run with an infield single. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 Nick Fortes and Ryan Vilade each drove in a run in the second. — CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drove

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drove

Noun

With several scenes showcasing flocks of pigeons, Mundruczó estimates that around 1,000 birds were used in the production — which filmed in Sydney, Australia and New York — with professional pigeon handlers present on set.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
After a few minutes, there was a dive off the arch, followed by a cannonball from the next person, a backflip from a third and then other more spectacular and daring stunts from the flock.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of flock

Verb

The helicopter, which was used by NBC and Telemundo, crashed about two hours after police say Rios drove her 2004 Ford Expedition the wrong way down a busy avenue, ran a red light and struck a vehicle before hitting the bus.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
This iconic Pasadena diner has been up and running since 1963, with local Michael Osborne taking the reins since the late ‘70s.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of ran

Verb

At immigration check-ins, new routines unfold Samba Diallo rode in the passenger seat, a red folder containing his immigration paperwork on his lap.

— Claire Galofaro, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
The Belgian was the second-best climber at this summer’s Tour de France, and rode an impressive one-day season this spring — finishing on the podium of the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and winning the Amstel Gold Race.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of rode

Verb

The seat is widely considered reliably Republican, but some recent polling has Democrats feeling optimistic and Andrews has pushed the party to invest in the race.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Yet the ongoing disruptions from the Iran war, which have pushed up average gas prices more than 7% from just a month ago, threaten to spread through the economy and keep broader inflation stubbornly high.

— DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFFFROM WIRE REPORTS, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of pushed

Verb

But the truth of it is that Sharaa forced his hand by seizing swathes of the SDF’s territory in a lightning offensive in January.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026
In 1963, Gloria Steinem went undercover for a journalism assignment as a Playboy bunny, exposing degrading working conditions that forced policy changes.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of forced

Verb

New defensive tariffs can be imposed only after the commission conducts a formal investigation, which is bound by statutory deadlines and triggered by evidence of injury to European industry.

— JONAS NAHM, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026
The Saudi pipeline, which can carry 7 million barrels per day, has played a key role in easing the severe oil supply disruption triggered by the Iran war.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of triggered

Verb

She’s haunted by her divorce from Donn, and her greatest fear is being alone, which is becoming more and more of a real possibility, especially since her family has largely moved away.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Diane was a blender of hair and plaid, while Aurora moved solidly, pushing a wheelbarrow.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of moved

Verb

In June 2021, a camera helped locate a murderer, Joseph Jean, 56, who sped off after stabbing a 38-year-old woman on a sidewalk in Fort Lauderdale, the agency said.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
The research was slow at first, but more recent advances in technology — including artificial intelligence — have sped things up.

— Pien Huang, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026