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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of driven
Leadership Brainery, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
The driven teen, who enjoys working out, changed after the Spice hit his system, Irish Sunday People reported.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 9 June 2025
Mark Le Dain, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Supply chain bottlenecks and shortages of critical components—such as semiconductors and specialized machinery—have further driven up prices, highlighting the substantial gap between current book values and genuine replacement or reproduction costs.
—Mark Le Dain, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for driven
Adjective
America’s most dynamic companies rely on a steady pipeline of diverse, driven, and highly educated talent.
—Leadership Brainery, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
The driven teen, who enjoys working out, changed after the Spice hit his system, Irish Sunday People reported.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 9 June 2025
Verb
Thirdly, post-COVID-19 economic dynamics have led to significant increases in new equipment pricing, driven by persistent supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressures, and sustained tariffs imposed on Chinese manufacturers.
—Mark Le Dain, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Supply chain bottlenecks and shortages of critical components—such as semiconductors and specialized machinery—have further driven up prices, highlighting the substantial gap between current book values and genuine replacement or reproduction costs.
—Mark Le Dain, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for driven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for driven
Adjective
-
Known for his signature style and obsessive attention to detail, Anderson’s work is distinctive, imaginative, and—above all—meticulous.—
Brett Braley,
Robb Report,
30 July 2025
-
So, just stay in the moment, take care of the little things, be consistent with my process, and be obsessive with my process, and make sure nothing's non-negotiable.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Angelo’s son, Joseph, ran the store and lived on the second floor until the 1970s.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
-
This game is about running, blocking, and tackling.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
Pope Francis also pushed Biden, who is Catholic and spoke to the pontiff last week, to prevent the executions.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Chappell and Webb have pushed each other out of their comfort zones to create some truly remarkable work in 2024.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Merz, 69, is impulsive, prickly under pressure and occasionally leans into populist bluster.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
26 June 2025
-
Unlike reckless risk-taking, which is impulsive and uninformed, calculated risk should be strategic and intentional.—
Vikram Joshi,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
Some associates of the anti-government militant Ammon Bundy rode along with him.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2025
-
After Thompson was gunned down, police said, Mangione ran off, rode into Central Park on a bike, ditched it on the Upper West Side, then took a taxi to the Port Authority bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge and escaped from the city.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Vance pressed Zelenskyy, who has thanked America over and over.—
Maureen Dowd,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
-
At her pool, visitors pressed against a window, ogling the manatees swimming inside without always understanding the calamities that brought the animals there.—
Bethany Barnes,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
That early surge propelled the Tigers to a 76-50 victory over Bryant in Sunday’s championship game of the Chad Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic at Fairdale.—
Rich Barak,
The Courier-Journal,
23 Dec. 2024
-
The success has propelled Shaboozey into the public eye and led to show appearances and campaigns, including YSL’s Myslf Le Parfum campaign this fall.—
Kristen Tauer,
WWD,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Clad in all white, the 32x Grammy winner rode into NRG Stadium on a white horse, performing ’16 Carriages’ and her Beatles ‘Blackbiird’ cover to kick off her A Cowboy Carter Christmas NFL halftime show at the Houston Texans-Baltimore Ravens game.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Dec. 2024
-
And the Jewish world mourned the deaths of Ken Holtzman, the winningest Jewish pitcher in MLB history, and Hall of Fame jockey Walter Blum, who rode to victory in the Belmont Stakes.—
Jacob Gurvis,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/driven. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share