ride
ryd
Ride (verb) means to travel while sitting on and controlling a horse, bike, or similar vehicle. Example: “On Sundays we ride our bikes along the canal path.”
verb
1
To travel while sitting on and controlling a horse, bike, or similar vehicle.
"On Sundays we ride our bikes along the canal path."
"She learned to ride a horse when she was six."
"He rides his bike to work every morning."
2
To travel as a passenger in a vehicle.
"I usually ride in the back seat when my aunt drives us."
"We rode the bus into the city centre."
"They rode in silence for most of the journey."
3
To take advantage of or coast along on a situation, trend, or momentum.
"The band rode the wave of their first hit single for years."
"He rode his father's reputation to get the job."
4
Informal: to nag, criticize, or pressure someone persistently.
"My manager keeps riding me about the report even though it is not due yet."
"Don't ride your little brother so hard just because he made one mistake."
"Stop riding him about being late — it was an accident."
How to use ride
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoving by sitting on or in something that carries you — a horse, bike, car, or other vehicle — or, informally, constantly criticizing someone or exploiting a situation.
Common mistake
The past tense is "rode" and the past participle is "ridden" — not "rided".
Easily confused with
Common pairings
ride a bike
ride a horse
ride the wave
ride someone about something
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- rides
- Past tense
- rode, rade, rid, ridden
- Archaic forms
- ridest, rodest, rideth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
On Sundays we _____ our bikes along the canal path.
Etymology
From Old English rīdan (\"to ride\"), an ancient Germanic verb shared with words like German reiten and Dutch rijden.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for ride
See all rhymes for ride →Frequently asked questions
What does “ride” mean?
The word “ride” means to travel while sitting on and controlling a horse, bike, or similar vehicle. In plain terms, moving by sitting on or in something that carries you — a horse, bike, car, or other vehicle — or, informally, constantly criticizing someone or exploiting a situation.
How do you pronounce “ride”?
“Ride” is pronounced ryd (/ɹaɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “ride” in a sentence?
Here is “ride” used in a sentence: “She learned to ride a horse when she was six.”
What is another word for “ride”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ride” include get it on.
What part of speech is “ride”?
“Ride” is a verb.
Where does the word “ride” come from?
The word “ride” comes from Old English. From Old English rīdan (\"to ride\"), an ancient Germanic verb shared with words like German reiten and Dutch rijden.
Is “ride” a common word?
“Ride” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “ride” have?
“Ride” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to travel while sitting on and controlling a horse, bike, or similar vehicle.
What is the difference between riding and driving?
Riding usually means sitting on and controlling something you straddle or mount, such as a horse, bicycle, or motorcycle. Driving means operating an enclosed vehicle like a car or truck from inside it. You ride a bike but drive a car; the line is whether you sit on the vehicle or within it.
What is the past tense of ride?
The past tense of ride is 'rode', as in 'she rode to school yesterday'. The past participle is 'ridden', used with has, have, or had, as in 'he has ridden that horse before'. Ride is an irregular verb, so it does not simply add -ed like regular verbs do.
Can you ride a car?
In standard English you drive a car rather than ride it, because you sit inside and operate it. You can, however, ride 'in' a car as a passenger. Ride is normally reserved for horses, bikes, motorcycles, and public transport, where you either sit astride the vehicle or travel as a passenger.
Is it 'ride in' or 'ride on' a bus?
For buses, trains, and planes you normally say ride 'on' or ride 'in', because you are a passenger inside a larger vehicle. For a horse, bike, or motorcycle you simply ride it, since you sit on top and steer it yourself. The choice reflects whether you are controlling the vehicle or just travelling along.
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