Jimmy tried to cajole his parents into letting him drive across the country with his friends.
Source: tatoeba (1993)
Drive
/dɹaɪv/
Synonyms for "drive" (1040 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (208)
Noun(37 words)
rideacademic importanceactitisactuatingadvancerambitionambitionsamorousnessampappetencyardorsassembly line pushbackhandbarrellingblitzescampaigncampaignscamscanterscareerism
Show 17 more words
catalan forçacatapultcausechampioningcharge aheadchauffeuringchauffeurschivyclassroom motivationcomplexescompulsionscontrol overall forcecowpokescruisecrusadecrusadescrusading
accelerateaccelerationactivityactuateadvanceadvance againstadvance uponadventuresomenessadventurousnessaffectaggravated assaultaggressionaggressivenessagitateairingalleyalleywayallude toambitionambitiousness
Show 133 more words
amperageamphibious attackangleanimateappealapplianceapproachardorarmed assaultarmipotencearmyarterialarterial highwayarterial streetarteryassailingassailmentassaultattackauthorityautoautobahnautomatic responseautorouteautostradaavenuebait the hookbangbanzai attackbarnstormbe responsible forbearbear down onbear down uponbear offbear uponbeatbeefbelt highwaybesetbicyclebikebindbitebitingnessblack powerblind alleyblind impulseblitzblitzkriegbobboostboreboulevardbowlbrain wavebrainstormbreakthroughbrute forcebuckbullbulldozebumpbump againstbunchbuntburdenburrowburstbusbustlebusybuttbutt againstbypassbywaycagecamino realcampaigncarriagewaycarrycarry oncarry outcarry throughcatch a traincausecause tocausewaycauseychargecharioteercharismachasechauffeurchausseecircumferentialclamclosecloutcoercecogencecogencycolonycommitmentcompelcompulsionconcupiscenceconductconstrainconstraintcontrolconveniencecopilotcorduroy roadcorralcounterattackcounteroffensivecounty roadcoup de maincoursecourtcramcrashcrescentcrippling attackcrowdcrusadecul-de-saccuriositycuttingnesscycledapdash
Verb(12 words)
accelerate industrial growthacceleratesaimautomobiledbeat backbulledcauses motionchauffeuredcompelledcravecravedcudgeled
Adjective(6 words)
available energiesbold momentumconsistent pullconstant pushcontinuous pushdanish skubbe
Strong matches (312)
Noun(66 words)
data drivendegree of energizationdeliberate pushdesiringdesperationdeterminationdiskdrivewaydrivingdriving forcedrumbeateducation change efforteducational thrustefforteffortsembedenergiaenergiasenergy topicengine thrusts
Show 46 more words
enginesexploration enthusiasmferretingforce applicationsforce conceptforce relatedforces readingforehandforehandsforraderfr. énergiefrench forcefrench influencefrench mouvoirfuelinggo gettergoadsgoal orientedgrowth energygrowth vigorhammerhard driveherdingherdshonchoshorsewhipshothouseshustlesideology shift eraimpelimpetusesimpulsesimpulsive pushinitiativeinitiativesinspireinstepsintentionintentionsitalian forzajet engine thrustjihadsjitneyjockeysjourneylife force
dead set atdead-end streetdeal withdelvedemanddescent ondesiderationdesiredeterminationdeterminedibdibbledigdig outdikedintdirectdirt roaddivediversion
Show 193 more words
diversionary attackdogdredgedriftdrift off coursedrilldrive atdrive ondrivewaydriving forcedroveduressdynamismeagernesseffecteffectivenesseffectualityefforteggegg onelbowenergyenforceengineengineryenterpriseenterprisingnessenthusiasmentrainexcavateexcursionexertionexhortexigencyexpeditionexpresswayfacilityfagfaithfalconfall downfancyfantasyfetch awayfirefishfixtureflankflank attackflashfleeting impulseflockflower powerflurryflushflutterflyfly-fishfollow the houndsforceforce majeureforcefulnessforge aheadforwardfowlfreewayfrontal attackfull blastfull forcefurrowgamganggasgas attackget atget-up-and-getget-up-and-gogetawaygetupgiggingergive an impetusgive momentumgogo aheadgo all outgo by railgo fishinggo huntinggo-aheadgo-gettinggo-to-itivenessgoadgougegouge outgravegravel roadgreat causegriggripgroovegrubguddleguidegumptiongungut responsegutshammerhandlehastehavehave in mindhawkhead-on attackhelter skelterhelter-skelterherdhigh-pressurehighroadhighwayhighways and bywayshint atholdhold the reinsholy warhopehormehosthoundhunthunt downhurryhurry scurryhurry-scurryhurtlehustleimpelimpellentimpelling forceimpetusimplyimpressimpressivenessimpulseimpulsionincentiveincisivenessinciteincitementinclineindicateinduceindustryinfatuateinfiltrateinfiltrationinflameinfluenceinitiativeinspirationinstigateinstinctintellectual curiosityintendinterestinterstate highwayintimateinvasioninvoluntary impulseirresistible forceissuejabjackjacklightjamjigjihadjogjogglejoltjostlejourneyjoyridekeennesskeep busykennelkicklanelashlaunch an attacklibidolifework
Adjective(17 words)
dense crowd pushdirect driveeconomic influenceeconomic influence factorsenergizing effectenergizing imaginationextended reach thrustforward motiongreat enthusiasmheavy thrusthigh nerve energyindustrial riseinfectious verveinstinctive urgeintense pursuitinternal forcekinetic producing
Related words (520)
liftlightning attacklightning warlitterlocal roadlourlowerlungelustlust for learningmachinemachinerymain dragmain forcemain roadmain strengthmakemake a trainmake gomake leeway
Show 339 more words
make things hummanamanagemaneuvermanipulatemanoeuvremarch againstmarch uponmass attackmass movementmeanmechanical aidmechanical devicemechanismmegadeathmewsmightmight and mainmightinessmindminemobilizemoilmomentmomentummoralemordancymotivatemotive powermotormotorcyclemotorwaymount an attackmovemovementmoxiemuggingmuscle powernatural impulseneednervositynervousnessnetnot let gonotionnudgeobligeobsessoffenseoffensiveonsetonslaughtopen an offensiveoperateoppressoutingoverdriveoverkillovertaskovertaxoverworkpackpanzer warfareparkwaypassionpavepaved roadpay offpedalpeel offpenetratepeppepperperforateperform onpersistencepickuppikepile drivepilotpinchpiss and vinegarpitchpizzazzplaceplank roadplaypleasurepleasure principleplungepodpoignancypokepolepooppossesspotencepotencypotentialitypoundpowerpower packpower plantpower sourcepower structurepower strugglepowerfulnesspracticepreoccupyprepotencypresspress onpressureprickprideprimary highwayprincipleprivate roadproceedprodproductivenessproductivitypropelpropellingpropelmentpropulsionprovokeprowl afterpuissancepullpulsionpunchpunch cattlepurposepushpushfulnesspushinesspushingpushingnessput in motionquarryquick hunchquickeningraceramram downrash impulserattlereason for beingrefer toreflexrequirerestrainrideride herd onride to houndsright-of-wayring roadroadroadbedroadwayrollround uproutroute nationalerowroyal roadrunrun againstrun atrushsagsallysapscamperschoolscoopscoop outscrabblescramblescrapescratchscurryscuttlesee toseinesendset agoingset goingset in motionsexual desireshakeshameshepherdshikarshoalshock tacticsshootshoot aheadshouldershoveshovelshovingshrimpshuntsicsinewsinewinesssinkskulkslothsnapsoldiersolosortiespadespeedspeedupspeedwayspinspiritsportspunkspurstabstalkstampstarchstartstate highwaysteamsteerstep livelystep upstep-upstickstill huntstill-fishstill-huntstimulantstirstrainstreetstrengthstressstrikestrivestrong armstrong languagesudden thoughtsuggestsunday drivesuperhighwaysuperioritysuperpowersweatsweepsweep alongtake a joyridetake care oftake the helmtamptasktaxtaxiterracethirst for knowledgethoroughfarethrough streetthrowthrustthruwaytietoiltoll roadtooltorchtourtownship roadtracktrailtraveltrawltreadletrenchtrenchancytriptrolltrooptroughtrundletugtunnelturnturnpikeunprovoked assaultup-and-comingnessurgeurgencyus highwayuse force uponutilityvalidityvehemencevelocityventuresomenessventurousnessvervevigorvigorousnessvimvirilityvirtuevirulencevitalvitalitywantwantingwarwattagewayweightwhalewheelwhipwhip onwhirlwillwill and pleasurewishwish fulfillmentworkwranglewyndyawyaw offzealzingzip
Noun(111 words)
line pushmachine movementmore campaign-relatedmore forcedmost policy movemotion couplingmotivatemotivate learnersmotivationmotivation levelmotivationsmotivatorsmotivitymotor relatedmotorbikingmotorboatmotorboatsmotoringmotorsmovement
Show 91 more words
movementsmusclemushmushermushesmushroomneedingnerve impulsenisusnorwegian skubbeoffensivesonslaughtsoperateoutingpaddlesparkwaypedalspetitionsphysical forcingpilotpolicy impetuspolingportuguese propósitopoundpower lightpowered by gravitypoweringpowerspress forwardprivate roadprobe thrustpropelpulsepumpingpushpush alongpush hardpush onpushesreformridingromanian a conducesense of purposeshape the futuresheepdogssleighingsluggingsnowmobilesnowmobilingspanish fuerzaspearspearheadspearheadingspearheadsspursstimulatestorage drivestrivingstrokingstrong emotiontailwindtask motivationthrustthrust forwardthrust forward aggressivelythrust of the argumentthrust with forcethrustingthudstreadlestreetriptrophically driventurbinestype of energyurge onurge to acturgesurgingurging toneuseful toolvacuum thrustvim energyvolleyswagewedgewheel turn mechanismwild energywindmillswranglesyearning
Adjective(10 words)
linear thrustlong thrustmajor paradigm shiftingpositive energyproductive energyrapid demand growthstored energiesstrong motivationsstrong pushstrong push for reform
Verb(35 words)
Determiner(3 words)
more energymore urgingmost animal instinct
Preposition(2 words)
under compulsionwith force
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ride, academic importance, accelerate, accelerate industrial growth, accelerates.
- Sentence evidence is available for drive, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "drive".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "drive"
Keep "drive" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "drive" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "drive", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "drive" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
79 entriesShowing 16 of 79 words.
More specific
15 entriesCollocations
12 entriesdrive a cardrive at high speeddrive carefullydrive safelydrive to schooldrive with confidenceexternal drivefamily drivehard driveinternal drivelong driveshort drive
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
4 entriessimilar
12 entriesTranslations
10 translations across 5 languages.
Dutch
1 entries- drijven noun (act of driving animals forward)
Finnish
4 entries- ajaminen noun (act of driving animals forward)
- ajo noun (act of driving animals forward)
- paimennus noun (act of driving animals forward)
- paimentaminen noun (act of driving animals forward)
Hungarian
3 entries- hajtás noun (act of driving animals forward)
- hajtóvadászat noun (act of driving animals forward)
- terelés noun (act of driving animals forward)
Māori
1 entries- whiunga noun (act of driving animals forward)
Turkish
1 entries- sürme noun (act of driving animals forward)
Sample sentences
81 total sentences available.
What... you still don't know how to drive?
Source: tatoeba (2156)
You had better not drive a car.
Source: tatoeba (16019)
Can you drive a car?
Source: tatoeba (16020)
Showing 4 of 81 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "drive"?
Closest matches include ride, academic importance, accelerate, accelerate industrial growth, accelerates.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "drive"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.