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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in powered
to cause to function
machinery driven by waterpower
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in moved
to set or keep in motion
this motor drives the gears, which then turn the shaft
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7
as in raced
to proceed or move quickly
the runner drove past the finish line and then came to a dead stop
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of driven
Meg Pillow
july 31, Literary Hub, 31 July 2025
But as a profoundly driven person all his life, such affirmations aren’t cause for pause but merely more propellant.
—Vahe Gregorian
july 25, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025
Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
The range extender system consists of a highly efficient high-voltage generator driven by a small combustion engine.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for driven
Adjective
Just like Lana, there was someone clever, driven, working beneath the veneer of the beautiful temptress.
—Meg Pillow
july 31, Literary Hub, 31 July 2025
But as a profoundly driven person all his life, such affirmations aren’t cause for pause but merely more propellant.
—Vahe Gregorian
july 25, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025
Verb
About an hour later, officers were advised that someone had driven a shooting victim to a hospital.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
The range extender system consists of a highly efficient high-voltage generator driven by a small combustion engine.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for driven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for driven
Adjective
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The title may have the tang of a prog-rock album, but the book is witty, minutely detailed, and braced by common sense—a welcome gift in an often obsessive environment.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Digging deeper, Georgia unravels a complex case entangled in mania, ritual and the occult, and her obsessive quest for the truth spirals into a nightmare that will put her family, career and sanity on the line.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kuina is teaching karate at her father’s dojo, Heiya is an influencer, Aguni is running the Hatter’s hat shop, and Niragi is trying to be better for his kid.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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Developed by the late Silvio Horta and based on the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea, Ugly Betty premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ran for four seasons until 2010.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When the season ended, Payton and general manager George Paton could have re-tooled the personnel on defense or let a couple of key contributors go.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Hayes’ arrangements are machine-tooled to immersive perfection.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Kehoe, however, has pushed back on the argument.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Republicans said his response raises questions as to whether the investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election was a result of a strategy pushed by Hillary Clinton's campaign.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There is little action that could be forced upon these platforms with today’s Section 230 protections for third-party content, but there is growing Republican support for reforming, or even repealing, the law.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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Instead, group homes that used that model would be forced to apply to the Minnesota Department of Human Services for behavioral health funding to stay afloat, and abide by an entirely different set of regulations and expectations.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Then the Jays moved a win away.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The Eagles ran the play throughout the game, with multiple instances where the offensive lineman moved before the snap.—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Both times, Brown wrestled off a defender and raced for gains of 20-plus yards.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
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Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer strode to the scene as armed officers raced past him.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Even his mistake for Damsgaard’s opener brought more of a stunned silence than exasperated groans or impulsive anger from the locals.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
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Single-minded and fairly humorless, Chappellet is impelled but seldom impulsive.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/driven. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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