driver's seat
Americannoun
-
the seat from which a vehicle is operated.
-
a position of power, dominance, control, or superiority.
After the election the Democrats were back in the driver's seat.
Etymology
Origin of driver's seat
First recorded in 1920–25
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.
When the first attempt failed, he returned to the driver's seat and moved the steering wheel to try and free the wheels.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
In other dramatic scenes, protesters were seen holding on to one another as they were dragged to waiting buses -- only for them to later wriggle out from the driver's seat or the rear window.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
“With these laws, we are ensuring that Californians remain in the driver’s seat — and that those profiting from data centers aren’t doing so at our expense.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
No navigation, no inductive charging pad, no remotely operated rear window, no heated driver’s seat, no high-end audio, no powered side-view mirror adjustment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Once she starts deferring to me, I’ll know that I’ve slipped into the virtual driver’s seat, regardless of who’s actually driving.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
