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.
Just hours after slipping into her wedding gown for a final fitting, Kristen, 34, was behind the wheel on a dark winter highway. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025 In the video, a stunned man can be seen texting behind the wheel. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025 After being shot, the victim sped off and fell unconscious behind the wheel of his Infiniti at the corner of Givan and Palmer Aves. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 14 June 2025 The 1950s was its finest period, winning the 3-liter class six times, and securing the first place overall in 1959 with Caroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori behind the wheel of the DBR1. Charlie Thomas, Robb Report, 12 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Behind the wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind%20the%20wheel. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!