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.
Convertibles are more expensive, often attracting older drivers with more income — and generally, more caution behind the wheel. Josh Max, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025 As more communities adopt traffic camera enforcement, the real test is for parents and community leaders alike to ensure that more education occurs, but also technology solutions that exist can encourage drivers to take responsibility behind the wheel and keep our students safe. Buspatrol - A Mission-Driven Organization, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025 Elliott means adjusting behind the wheel, not with the car itself. Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025 Ahmed, 42, waxes poetic while behind the wheel, speeding against traffic. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2025.

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