1 A2 neutral
To leave a place by driving a vehicle.
"She got into the taxi and drove away without looking back."
inseparable
drive away
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To leave a place in a vehicle, or to cause someone or something to leave or stay away.
In plain English
Leave in a car, or make someone go away and not come back.
What does "drive away" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To cause a person, animal, or group to leave or to stop coming back, often by making a situation or environment unpleasant.
"The constant noise from the construction site drove away the restaurant's regular customers."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To make a feeling, thought, or memory disappear.
"Exercise and fresh air drove away the gloom she had been feeling all week."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To operate a vehicle and move it away from a location.
Actually means
Leave in a car, or make someone go away and not come back.
Usage tip
The literal sense (departing in a vehicle) is very common and transparent. The figurative sense (causing someone to leave or become alienated) is also widely used in emotional and social contexts.
Words that pair with "drive away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
customers friends investors car silence fear loneliness
How to conjugate "drive away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
drive away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drives away
he/she/it
Past simple
drove away
yesterday
Past participle
driven away
have + pp
-ing form
driving away
continuous
Hear "drive away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "drive away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "drive away"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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