- past participle of drive.
driven
Americanverb
adjective
-
being under compulsion, as to succeed or excel.
a driven young man who was fiercely competitive.
-
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.
verb
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Those numbers are driven by his willingness to attack space behind defences.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Revenue rose 18% to $772 million, driven in part by 31% growth in rentals revenue and a 75% increase in mortgage revenue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
The roll-up doors will allow cars to be driven inside and a wall of high-resolution LED panels will project backgrounds in real-time 3-D environments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The S&P 500 has enjoyed an epic rally over the past five days — but the advance may be more mechanical and driven by options positioning, rather than by an improvement in investors’ fundamental outlook.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Bea and Barry Johnston had gotten up early that morning and driven toward Spud Mountain, a mere seven miles from Mount St. Helens.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
