driving force

Idioms  

1. The impetus, power, or energy behind something in motion, as in He was clearly the driving force in the new administration. This term transfers the force that sets in motion an engine or vehicle to other enterprises. Ralph Waldo Emerson was among the first to use it figuratively (English Traits, 1856): “The ability of its journals is the driving force.”

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Example Sentences

“The Devil Wears Prada” taught me to appreciate film in a profound, scholarly way that would later become my life’s driving force.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

WASHINGTON—At a recent gathering of tech executives and lawmakers, David Sacks pitched artificial intelligence as a driving force of the U.S. economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

At its peak, Unity was a wildly popular game engine and the driving force behind viral crazes like Pokémon Go.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Casting for maximum drama is a driving force in many reality shows.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

In 1856 he became head of the natural history section of the British Museum, in which capacity he became the driving force behind the creation of London’s Natural History Museum.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson