as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge
a man with a driven need to be loved or liked by everyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in pushed
to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one
drove the plunger into the opening
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in forced
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the corrupt governor was driven out of office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in powered
to cause to function
machinery driven by waterpower
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in moved
to set or keep in motion
this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in raced
to proceed or move quickly
the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of driven
Okla Jones, Essence, 6 Jan. 2026
And not one but two planets—taskmaster Saturn and mystical Neptune—will land in driven, competitive, fiery Aries for years to come.
—Maressa Brown, InStyle, 1 Jan. 2026
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
Rodin’s attraction to Khmer dancers was driven by a sense of exotic curiosity.
—Li Qi, Artforum, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for driven
Adjective
Jordan Coleman steps in as Cheyenne Barnes, a bold hairstylist whose confidence masks years of unresolved pain, while Tunde Oyeneyin plays Madison Truitt, a driven entrepreneur navigating success, expectations, and the search for real partnership.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 6 Jan. 2026
And not one but two planets—taskmaster Saturn and mystical Neptune—will land in driven, competitive, fiery Aries for years to come.
—Maressa Brown, InStyle, 1 Jan. 2026
Verb
With such a destructive geopolitical conflict driven by several strongmen leaders, the industry was always going to feel the ramifications.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
Rodin’s attraction to Khmer dancers was driven by a sense of exotic curiosity.
—Li Qi, Artforum, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for driven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for driven
Adjective
-
March 2026 Prose's debut novel is centered around Molly Gray, a 25-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel, who has an obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Hjorth’s protagonists also turn that obsessive attention outward—to try to understand others.—
Honor Jones,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The cabinet changes come on the heels of both a political pact, recently signed by parties with the prime minister, and the launching of the registration process for those seeking to run candidates in the next elections.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
-
In the Democratic primary, Amy Martinez-Salas, a legal assistant and UT Arlington alumna, is running uncontested.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Re-tooled with new signings, the defensive inadequacies and erratic finishing that had held the club back during his first campaign were eradicated.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
But Theobald tooled the Zephyrs’ block, pushing the Tigers over the line with a 25-22 set 4 win.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Leake pushed back on that framing, arguing there is no need to fix what wasn’t broken.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Even though the project had a finished script and a cast willing to return, the studio’s priorities shifted after the strike in a way that pushed the sequel aside.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Israeli strikes on Iranian oil fields and Iranian drone attacks elsewhere have forced production to slow or halt, while shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed over fear of vessels being targeted by Tehran.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Jaxson Hayes and Marcus Smart helped spearhead a strong defensive effort that held New York to less than 100 points and forced eight key turnovers late in the game.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Inside, the Ingenieur Automatic 40 is powered by the in-house Caliber 32111, offering a robust 120-hour power reserve—an engineering feat that mirrors the endurance and performance demanded on the track.—
Carol Besler,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Informal currency exchange houses have also moved funds across borders outside the reach of conventional banking oversight.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In mid-2025, Urquhart and Kelley moved their deal from Amazon’s Wondery to SiriusXM.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 2020 Democratic presidential primary, the party's last open nominating contest, featured a rush to the left as candidates raced to embrace far-reaching ideas including Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and aggressive taxes on billionaires.—
JEFF STEIN THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Storms that raced through the area early Friday, with frequent lightning and thunder, are expected to linger into the morning before moving out, the weather service said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/driven. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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