drive-by

American  

[drahyv-bahy] / ˈdraɪvˌbaɪ /

noun

plural

drive-bys

1. the action of driving by a specified locality, object, etc..

   a drive-by of Nelson's Monument.

2. a drive-by shooting.

   The gang member was killed in a drive-by.

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adjective

1. consisting of or featuring a drive-by.

   We boarded the sightseeing bus for a drive-by tour of the nation's capital.

2. occurring while driving past a person, object, etc..

   a drive-by shooting.

3. casual; superficial; offhand.

   a drive-by news analysis.

4. involving a brief stay in a hospital, clinic, etc..

   a drive-by mastectomy.

Etymology

Origin of drive-by

Noun, adj. use of verb phrase drive by

Example Sentences

Keith said the couple get "quite a lot of drive-by fans" while they are working on the property.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

She added that the assessor’s office hasn’t done even a drive-by physical review of properties since 1997, which she says makes all of its work suspect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

He also said he authored bills to address drive-by shootings and stalking sponsored by then-Republican state Sen. Ed Royce in the 1990s.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2023

Strains of its speed-laced melody violated my peace by wafting into my apartment like a garbage truck’s drive-by stink.

From Salon • Oct. 20, 2023

But no one is acknowledging what at least is clear, that someone took a little trouble with this one, that it’s not a drive-by situation, it’s not the work of vandals or addicts.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee