driver's seat

noun

: the position of top authority or dominance

Examples of driver's seat in a Sentence

with her boss's early retirement, she unexpectedly found herself in the driver's seat
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.
But that happiness quickly took a turn when the mother quickly braked and stopped the vehicle, and sent him flying into the open area behind the driver's seat. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025 With retractable pedals and foldable steering, the cabin feels more like a living space than a driver's seat. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025 The government's role should be to create guardrails — such as infrastructure, regulation, and policy frameworks — rather than to sit in the driver's seat of competitive business. Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 In a brief clip that opened the post, the Pirates of the Caribbean star sat in the driver's seat of a blue truck, revving the engine and posing for the camera with Biggie, who made his official debut on the Today show in early June, by his side. Michael Nied, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for driver's seat

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of driver's seat was in 1860

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Cite this Entry

“Driver's seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/driver%27s%20seat. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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