driver's seat
Americannoun
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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.
It takes five hours, but finally synchronised cries of excitement come from the driver's seat and the back of the pick-up truck.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
I occasionally see Waymos in New York—but with a person in the driver’s seat, ostensibly able to intervene while the system learns the city’s challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Hey everyone, I’m Genna Contino and I’m officially taking the driver’s seat at Don’t Short Yourself as lead writer, where I’ll be delivering smart, actionable tips to your inbox.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
I hastened my step to my car, not dawdling for a second to check messages once planted in the driver’s seat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Jerry glanced back from the driver’s seat, his expression tense.
From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon
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.
