1 A2 neutral
To leave a place in a vehicle.
"She drove out of the car park without paying the ticket."
inseparable
drive out
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To force a person, group, or thing to leave a place permanently.
In plain English
Make someone or something leave a place completely and not come back.
What does "drive out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To force a person, group, or organisation to leave a place or position, often permanently.
"Rising rents are driving out small independent shops from the city centre."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To eliminate a feeling, thought, or negative force.
"Love drives out fear — that was the central message of his sermon."
“
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.
— The Bible, 1 John 4:18 (King James Version)
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To drive a vehicle out of a place.
Actually means
Make someone or something leave a place completely and not come back.
Usage tip
Often used in political, historical, or military contexts to describe the expulsion of people. Also used figuratively to describe eliminating competitors, fears, or negative things.
Words that pair with "drive out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
competitors enemy residents fear darkness business invaders
How to conjugate "drive out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
drive out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drives out
he/she/it
Past simple
drove out
yesterday
Past participle
driven out
have + pp
-ing form
driving out
continuous
Hear "drive out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "drive out"
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Keep exploring
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