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Meaning & use

drive-through

noun, adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈdraɪv θruː/
US/ˈdraɪv θruː/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A place, such as a restaurant or bank, where you stay in your car and are served through a window.

    Grammar: Countable: use a/an or the, and a plural -s: a drive-through, two drive-throughs.

    Patterns

    • at a drive-through
    • go through a drive-through
    • a drive-through window

    We grabbed lunch at a drive-through on the way to the airport.

    The line at the drive-through was so long that we decided to park and go inside.

    She works the evening shift at a fast-food drive-through.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Describing a service or window you can use without leaving your car.

    Grammar: Used before a noun: a drive-through window, a drive-through lane. It is not usually used after the verb.

    Patterns

    • drive-through window
    • drive-through lane
    • drive-through service

    Please use the drive-through window after 10 p.m.

    The bank has a drive-through ATM on the side of the building.

    They added a drive-through lane to speed up service.

Word forms

pluraldrive-throughs

Common combinations

drive-through window
He ordered a coffee at the drive-through window.
drive-through lane
Cars were backed up in the drive-through lane.
fast-food drive-through
The fast-food drive-through stays open until midnight.
go through the drive-through
We went through the drive-through instead of getting out.
drive-through service
The pharmacy offers drive-through service for pickups.

Synonyms and how they differ

drive-thru
A short, informal spelling of the same word; common on signs, but drive-through is safer in formal writing.
drive-in
A drive-in is a place where you park and stay for a service or movie; a drive-through is for quick service without parking.

Word family

drive verb
To operate a car or other vehicle.
through preposition
From one side or end to the other; used in the compound.

Commonly confused: drive-through or drive through?

drive-through vs drive through

Written as two words, this is a verb phrase: We drove through the tunnel. The hyphenated drive-through is the noun or adjective.

Practice

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