1
a
: having a compulsive or urgent quality
a driven sense of obligation
b
: determined to succeed : highly energetic and motivated
… a versatile yacht captained by a driven skipper who has won everything in the sport …—
Herb McCormick
Herb McCormickKinsey redoubled his efforts. If he had been driven before, now there was a manic quality to his work.—David Halberstam
David Halberstam2
: propelled or motivated by something
—used in combination
results-driven
a character-driven drama
drivenness
noun
He was born two months premature and she has never stopped asking herself whether it was her drivenness, her refusal to rest, that caused it.
—Michele Magwood
Michele Magwood
Synonyms
Examples of driven in a Sentence
They are driven, successful people.
a man with a driven need to be loved or liked by everyone
Recent Examples on the Web
Her loved ones described her as an incredibly driven, kind and beautiful individual, the type of person who would create PowerPoint presentations to convince their family to take a trip to Disneyworld and to get a tattoo.
—The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024
As a dancer, Ella is passionate, driven, and committed to the craft of dance.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024
Ann was the first born, and six years older than Jane, who described her older sister as smart, kind, driven, and a lively young woman.
—Nicolás Viñuela, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2024
Described as an ambitious and driven man, Roderick has six children and expects the most from them.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2023
His bold choices and non-stop energy created a Christopher that was vulnerable, honest and driven.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024
Keen is described by former employees as a driven but eccentric businessman who is prone to micromanagement and sudden shifts in mood.
—William Turton, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2024
Kise said James was politically driven, and disputed the idea that Trump cheated anyone.
—Mark Berman, Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2024
Together, the driven, gregarious couple instituted a regular series of beer-pairing dinners that were not only tasty but educational, and a base for community-building for fledgling members of San Diego’s fast-growing beer scene.
—Brandon Hernández, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Dec. 2023
The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024
As a dancer, Ella is passionate, driven, and committed to the craft of dance.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024
Ann was the first born, and six years older than Jane, who described her older sister as smart, kind, driven, and a lively young woman.
—Nicolás Viñuela, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2024
Described as an ambitious and driven man, Roderick has six children and expects the most from them.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2023
His bold choices and non-stop energy created a Christopher that was vulnerable, honest and driven.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024
Keen is described by former employees as a driven but eccentric businessman who is prone to micromanagement and sudden shifts in mood.
—William Turton, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2024
Kise said James was politically driven, and disputed the idea that Trump cheated anyone.
—Mark Berman, Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2024
Together, the driven, gregarious couple instituted a regular series of beer-pairing dinners that were not only tasty but educational, and a base for community-building for fledgling members of San Diego’s fast-growing beer scene.
—Brandon Hernández, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'driven.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near driven
Cite this Entry
“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/driven. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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