driving force

Idioms

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.”

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.

They are the driving force behind many voters’ election choices.

From Salon • Jun. 21, 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

The 19-year-old Mboko was the driving force in the second set, earning admiring fist-bumps from Williams as she unloaded winner after winner.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Séjourné is the driving force behind a EU plan to require some products, including cars, to contain a certain share of European components to qualify for public procurement or support.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

But even that dynamic wasn’t unique; the same thing was happening in Wes’s neighborhood, where Hopkins was the driving force of change, aimed at improving the quality of life for students and faculty.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023