1 A2 neutral
To return to a place by driving a vehicle.
"After the concert, they drove back to the hotel in silence."
inseparable
drive back
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To return somewhere by driving, or to force a person or group to retreat.
In plain English
Drive back to where you came from, or push someone away so they go back where they started.
What does "drive back" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To force an enemy, attacker, or opposing group to retreat.
"Allied forces drove the enemy back beyond the river."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To use a vehicle to travel back to a starting point.
Actually means
Drive back to where you came from, or push someone away so they go back where they started.
Usage tip
The literal sense (returning by car) is extremely common. The military/figurative sense (forcing retreat) is used in formal writing, news, and historical contexts.
Words that pair with "drive back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
enemy troops car home border crowd forces
How to conjugate "drive back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
drive back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drives back
he/she/it
Past simple
drove back
yesterday
Past participle
driven back
have + pp
-ing form
driving back
continuous
Hear "drive back" in the wild
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Other ways to say "drive back"
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