driven

[driv-uhn]

verb

1. past participle of drive.

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

/ ˈdrɪvən /

verb

1. the past participle of drive

Other Word Forms

• drivenness noun
• undriven adjective
• well-driven adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of driven¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

see pure as the driven snow.

Example Sentences

But he did have an RBI single, marking his first run driven in since Game 2 of the NLDS.

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Yet employment levels have held steady overall, and consumer spending continues, though driven primarily by upper-income households.

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Based on the novel “The Ax” by Donald E. Westlake, it’s about a man driven to homicidal extremes by a process whose agony is known to many: the job hunt.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At the same time, precious metals continued a record-breaking run driven in part by concerns for long-term inflation and the value of traditional currencies.

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Inflation moved higher in September, driven by higher costs for services such as insurance, healthcare and technology solutions.

Read more on MarketWatch