behind the wheel

idiomatic phrase

: in the act of driving
I was nervous my first time behind the wheel.
He urged drivers to stop and rest if they feel tired behind the wheel.Yaron Steinbuch
… will start enforcing a requirement for commercial truck drivers travelling between provinces to track their hours behind the wheelKarina Zapata

Examples of behind the wheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cunningham was behind the wheel, and Siuta pulled her phone out to record. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025 While navigating a foggy, desolate Derry, Marge jumps behind the wheel of a milk truck, which may or may not be a nod to a pair of bizarre short stories collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Dec. 2025 Johnson's 28-year-old boyfriend, who was behind the wheel, was also hit but managed to pull off to a nearby gas station and call 911. Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025 Reduced fatigue behind the wheel Of course, improving driver assist systems can also benefit licensed drivers who may rely on the platforms while driving long distances. Jackie Charniga, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for behind the wheel

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of behind the wheel was in 1906

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Cite this Entry

“Behind the wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind%20the%20wheel. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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