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Synonyms

driver's seat

American  

noun

  1. the seat from which a vehicle is operated.

  2. 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.

Stick shifts are also slower than their auto-shifted counterparts from 0-60 mph—due to the fleshy, fallible widgets sitting in the driver’s seat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

For months, Netflix has been in the driver’s seat of an industry-shaking effort to acquire Warner Bros.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

Despite his glamorous brush with fame, Ellis has not given up the day job, he is still in the driver's seat on a London Underground train.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2026

His father in the driver’s seat, calmly handing Arnoldo his wallet and phone while stopping mid-chase for red lights.

From Salon • Jan. 14, 2026

Miss Love had been watching closely, her arms on the back of the driver’s seat.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

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.