driven 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdri-vən How to pronounce driven (audio)
Definition of drivennext
as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge a man with a driven need to be loved or liked by everyone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

driven

2 of 2

verb

past participle of drive
1
as in run
to urge, push, or force onward cowboys drove the herd of cattle from San Antonio to San Francisco

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2
as in tooled
to travel by a motorized vehicle I'm going to drive across the country—want to come?

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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

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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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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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of driven
Adjective
The same review found that late luteal cravings for carbohydrates and comfort food are physiologically driven, not a willpower failure. — Allison Palmer updated June 13, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026 This curious and driven student hopes to continue to learn about the world around her, with a particular interest in endangered species, the news release stated. — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026
Verb
Stuff that’s more audience-driven, that can communicate to a bigger crowd. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026 The growth of Oryx Desert Salt has been driven by Sam’s passion and vision. — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for driven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for driven
  1. obsessive
  2. run
  3. tooled
  4. pushed
  5. forced
  6. powered
  7. moved
  8. raced
Adjective
  • In fact, Jaissle, with his emotional touchline demeanour and obsessive tactical demands, comes across more as a highly-strung indie-rock songwriter/front man.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Moore plays a shy housewife whose small role in a community theater production transforms her into an obsessive method actor.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of obsessive
Verb
  • Birds chirp from atop the towering oak trees, and the peacefully running fountains set the tone for a serenity that'll carry through your weekend.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Payton wanted his starters to see the field for roughly 15 plays in the preseason opener, but the Falcons ran only 13 plays on their first four possessions combined.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of run
Verb
  • Perry was also spotted behind the wheel of an electric vehicle and tooled around town with Trudeau riding in the passenger seat.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of tooled
Verb
  • That trial is scheduled to begin next month, but could be pushed back or canceled altogether depending on what the judge decides.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • In the past week, the administration has pushed back against the narrative that Iran has virtually shut down the critical choke point with the threat of missiles and drones.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pushed
Verb
  • Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, was forced to roll out a second artificial surface after the World Cup because its first attempt didn’t pass an independent lab test as required by the NFL and NFLPA.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The champion faced a challenging opponent, as Garry forced him to work hard for seven takedowns and inflicted some facial damage.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of forced
Verb
  • Eco Effort All Maybourne London hotels are powered by 100% renewable electricity, and a solar power farm in Essex is underway.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of powered
Verb
  • Nashville then moved two goals clear in the 56th minute when Cristian Espinoza sent a pass across toward the near post and Surridge converted nonchalantly with a beautiful heel flick.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Olivia Colman’s first standout work that moved her from sketch comedy to dramatic feature film was Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of moved
Verb
  • First responders then raced to get to the crash scene and used ropes to descend down the cliff, but there were no survivors.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The two-time Olympic champion from Norway hadn’t raced since having surgery early this year to clean up scar tissue on the protective sheath around his left Achilles tendon.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of raced

Browse Nearby Words

drivels
driven
driver
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Cite this Entry

“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/driven. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of driven for Spanish Speakers

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