1
: carried out from a moving vehicle
a drive-by shooting
2
: done or made in a quick or cursory manner
Examples of drive-by in a Sentence
Adjective
the administrator's schedule left her with no time to make more than a drive-by assessment of the situation
Recent Examples on the Web
The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
The 4-year-old, who was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting on June 27 at Skinner Park while playing at the playground, went with his mother often, running around and pretending to be Spiderman.
—Aurora Sousanis, Freep.com, 13 July 2025
Mara Severin | Eating Out, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Mar. 2023
According to The Columbian, at the time of his arrest Sunday, Warren was out on bail after being charged with drive-by shooting, assault and felony harassment; he is accused of firing a gun at Melendez's apartment earlier this month.
—Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for drive-by
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Adjective
Within months, authorities accused him of three other murders, including the 1993 killing of his mother’s boyfriend, Michael Johnson, and the 1989 drive-by shootings of his girlfriend, LaShawn Cowart, and her 2-year-old son.
—The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
The 4-year-old, who was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting on June 27 at Skinner Park while playing at the playground, went with his mother often, running around and pretending to be Spiderman.
—Aurora Sousanis, Freep.com, 13 July 2025
Noun
There’s a confidence to running your restaurant in a neighborhood that doesn’t rely on tourists, window shoppers or drive-by traffic.
—Mara Severin | Eating Out, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Mar. 2023
According to The Columbian, at the time of his arrest Sunday, Warren was out on bail after being charged with drive-by shooting, assault and felony harassment; he is accused of firing a gun at Melendez's apartment earlier this month.
—Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for drive-by
Cite this Entry
“Drive-by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive-by. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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