driven

adjective

driv·​en ˈdri-vən 

1

a

: having a compulsive or urgent quality

a driven sense of obligation

b

: determined to succeed : highly energetic and motivated

… a versatile yacht captained by a driven skipper who has won everything in the sport …

—Herb McCormick

Kinsey redoubled his efforts. If he had been driven before, now there was a manic quality to his work.

—David Halberstam

2

: propelled or motivated by something

—used in combination

results-driven

a character-driven drama

drivenness

ˈdri-vən-nəs 

noun

He was born two months premature and she has never stopped asking herself whether it was her drivenness, her refusal to rest, that caused it.

—Michele Magwood

Synonyms of driven

• obsessive
• impulsive

Examples of driven in a Sentence

They are driven, successful people.

a man with a driven need to be loved or liked by everyone

Recent Examples on the Web

As played by Kate and Rooney Mara, in total sync, the driven, single-minded Jean and Joan become classic Herzogian outsiders, like Kaspar Hauser or Fitzcarraldo, daring to transcend the limitations of everyday living and language. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026

The Wall Street bank said the recent 25%-30% correction in Asian technology stocks and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index marks the third major drawdown since the AI driven upcycle began in late-2022. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Helping supervisors regulate their stress isn't about asking them to be less driven or less ambitious. — Marie Unger, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Even among the driven few, only a fraction of kids use ed-tech tools such as Khanmigo enough to see any gains. — Mike Goldstein, The Atlantic, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see drive entry 1

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing driven

• (as) pure as the driven snow
• driven bonkers
• menu-driven

Rhymes for driven

• given
• riven
• scriven
• sivan
• striven
• forgiven