Phrase guide

drive away

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see drive, away.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • This car's a real bargain, and you could drive it away this afternoon!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To force someone or something to leave

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I managed to drive the vultures away by shouting and waving my arms about.
  • Unsanitary conditions are driving away business.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Drive away potential burglars
  • drive away bad thoughts
  • dispel doubts
  • The supermarket had to turn back many disappointed customers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chase away, drive out, turn back, dispel, drive off, run off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

Narrower terms: frighten, fire, clear the air, banish, shoo off, shoo, shoo away

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

61 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: odjet — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Finnish: ajaa pois — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Galician: liscar — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Galician: lispar — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Galician: aluspar — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • German: wegfahren — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • German: davonfahren — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Russian: уезжа́ть (ujezžátʹ) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Russian: уе́хать (ujéxatʹ) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Russian: отъезжа́ть (otʺjezžátʹ) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Russian: отъе́хать (otʺjéxatʹ) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Ukrainian: пої́хати (pojíxaty) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Ukrainian: від'їжджа́ти (vidʺjiždžáty) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Ukrainian: від'ї́здити (vidʺjízdyty) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Ukrainian: від'ї́хати (vidʺjíxaty) — (literal, intransitive) to depart by driving
  • Russian: отвози́ть (otvozítʹ) — (literal, transitive) to take away by driving
  • Russian: отвезти́ (otveztí) — (literal, transitive) to take away by driving
  • Ukrainian: відво́зити (vidvózyty) — (literal, transitive) to take away by driving
  • Ukrainian: відвезти́ (vidveztý) — (literal, transitive) to take away by driving
  • Arabic: طَرَدَ (ṭarada) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Azerbaijani: qovmaq — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Bashkir: ҡыуыу (qıwıw) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Bulgarian: изгонвам (izgonvam) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Chinese Mandarin: 趕走 /赶走 (gǎnzǒu) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Finnish: ajaa pois — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Finnish: häätää — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Finnish: karkottaa — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Finnish: hätistää — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • French: repousser — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Galician: axotar — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Galician: escorrentar — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Galician: tornar — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • German: vertreiben — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • German: verjagen — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • German: verscheuchen — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Ancient Greek: ἐξελαύνω (exelaúnō) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Irish: ruaig — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Japanese: 退ける (shirizokeru) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Japanese: 追い遣る (oiyaru) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Latin: repellō — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Malay: هالاو — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Malay: halau — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Mansaka: bugaw — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Māori: whakamatara — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Romanian: alunga — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Romanian: goni — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Russian: прогоня́ть (progonjátʹ) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Russian: прогна́ть (prognátʹ) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Russian: выгоня́ть (vygonjátʹ) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Russian: вы́гнать (výgnatʹ) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Sanskrit: नाशयति (nāśayati) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Spanish: correr — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Spanish: ahuyentar — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Spanish: largar — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Turkish: kovmak — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Ottoman Turkish: قوغمق (koğmak, kovmak) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Ukrainian: проганя́ти (prohanjáty) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Ukrainian: прогна́ти (prohnáty) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Ukrainian: відганя́ти (vidhanjáty) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Ukrainian: відігна́ти (vidihnáty) — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave
  • Urhobo: djẹ́ — (idiomatic, transitive) to force someone or something to leave