designated driver

American  

[des-ig-nay-tid drahy-ver] / ˈdɛs ɪgˌneɪ tɪd ˈdraɪ vər /

noun

1. a person who abstains from alcoholic beverages at a gathering in order to be fit to drive companions home safely. DD

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designated driver British  

noun

1. a person who volunteers not to drink alcohol on a social occasion, so that he or she can safely drive other people who have been drinking

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Etymology

Origin of designated driver

First recorded in 1980–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

designated driver

"Unfortunately, I didn't have much time on my hands, because I was turning back to Ennis," says Mangan, designated driver that night for a group of friends.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

To have the best experience at Disneyland now, at least one person in every party needs to be the theme-park equivalent of a designated driver.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

When we first meet her, she’s not a super brave character, she is a rule follower, she is the designated driver, literally and metaphorically.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

Others want to retain the ability to be responsive or responsible for later activities, like serving as a designated driver, operating heavy machinery or being “on-call” for work.

From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2024

James, our designated driver, got the bus out of its space and a quarter of the way past the rows of parked vehicles when we heard the police whistle.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers

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