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

A driving force behind building the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Pritzker’s ancestors fled Russian persecution in modern-day Ukraine in the late 1800s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

The Jogye Order, South Korea's main Buddhist order and a driving force behind the trend, is looking to make religion more "approachable", spokesman Monk Myojang told AFP.

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

Many analysts say the move to separate the companies is seen as a precursor to further mergers and acquisitions, although Comcast executives have denied that was a driving force behind their decision.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

Their DIY work ethic in entertainment was also the driving force behind Happy Sundays, a free Long Beach-based music festival.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

Mallory, whose name is inextricably linked to Everest, was the driving force behind the first three expeditions to the peak.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer