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
Cops quickly determined the 42-year-old suspect was drunk behind the wheel and charged him with driving while intoxicated.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Officers found the unlicensed driver, who was behind the wheel of a Nissan passenger vehicle, a short distance away.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
The greater setback was at the senior Red Bull team after Isack Hadjar, who stepped up from Racing Bulls for 2026, crashed in just his second day behind the wheel of the RB22 car.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Friday also marks Dodge’s return to Daytona, with Stewart behind the wheel.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for behind the wheel
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Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Officers found the unlicensed driver, who was behind the wheel of a Nissan passenger vehicle, a short distance away.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
The greater setback was at the senior Red Bull team after Isack Hadjar, who stepped up from Racing Bulls for 2026, crashed in just his second day behind the wheel of the RB22 car.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Friday also marks Dodge’s return to Daytona, with Stewart behind the wheel.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
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 12 Feb. 2026.
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