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

Many cite “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt, who blames tech for teen anxiety, as a driving force.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 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

Oliver ‘Power’ Grant, a driving force behind Wu-Tang Clan’s rise to fame, died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, says the rap collective.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

A central theme around the rapid pace of AI advancements is that it could be a driving force for growth.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

For a start, Newcomen could not have devised his engine without knowing about the pressure of the atmosphere, since this provides its driving force.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton