driven

American  

[driv-uhn] / ˈdrɪv ən /

verb

1. past participle of drive.

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adjective

1. being under compulsion, as to succeed or excel.

   a driven young man who was fiercely competitive.

2. controlled or propelled by something specified (used in combination).

   a market-driven approach to retaining talent; data-driven business strategies; a water pump that is solar driven.

driven British  

/ ˈdrɪvən /

verb

1. the past participle of drive

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driven Idioms  

1. see pure as the driven snow.

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Other Word Forms

• drivenness noun
• undriven adjective
• well-driven adjective

Etymology

Origin of driven

First recorded in 1300–50, for the adjective for an earlier sense

Explanation

If you're driven, you're strongly compelled or motivated to achieve a goal. If you're a driven gymnast, you spend hours in the gym each night perfecting your balance beam routine. If you know someone who is incredibly ambitious and hard working, you can call them driven. It takes a driven student to make it through medical school, and a driven dog musher to complete the Iditarod. In other words, you need drive, or determination, to achieve these things. Driven can also mean "moved and piled into drifts by wind," often in the phrase "driven snow." When combined with another noun, it can mean "propelled or powered," as in "a wind-driven boat."

Example Sentences

“I’m sure you’ve driven around,” said Alex Quintanilla, a former city commissioner.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

The company said in its most recent quarter that sales are being driven by value-conscious customers who don’t always need to buy new, in-season goods.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Their spread is being driven by rising temperatures, aging water infrastructure, and limited systems for detecting and tracking them.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

The strength of consumer spending in the past few years, in fact, has been driven by upper-income Americans.

From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026

It was only when eighty women were packed inside that the door thumped shut and we heard iron bolts driven into place.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom