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
Yaron Steinbuch… will start enforcing a requirement for commercial truck drivers travelling between provinces to track their hours behind the wheel …—Karina Zapata
Karina ZapataExamples of behind the wheel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The most dangerous part on a car is the nut behind the wheel, goes an old joke, and Smith said that people should be more afraid of human drivers than robot ones.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
One in three drivers is behind the wheel without enough car insurance, a figure that's been climbing since the pandemic.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 30 June 2025
The film often features Idris and Pitt behind the wheel, showcasing their driving skills in intense race sequences.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 26 June 2025
As big a star as Pitt is, with his Oscar from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, how would it be made believable that his 60-year-old butt should be behind the wheel in a Formula One championship race?
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for behind the wheel
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.
Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
One in three drivers is behind the wheel without enough car insurance, a figure that's been climbing since the pandemic.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 30 June 2025
The film often features Idris and Pitt behind the wheel, showcasing their driving skills in intense race sequences.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 26 June 2025
As big a star as Pitt is, with his Oscar from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, how would it be made believable that his 60-year-old butt should be behind the wheel in a Formula One championship race?
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for behind the wheel
Cite this Entry
“Behind the wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind%20the%20wheel. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share