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.

This helps stabilise the grid, explained Klas Boman, the driving force behind the project.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

As theaters continue to navigate rough waters amid hopes of a durable post-pandemic recovery, celebrity buyers have become a driving force in the effort to preserve some of L.A.’s historic venues.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Toone adds her dad was "the driving force" behind her football, taking her up and down the country for club matches and travelling abroad for England games.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

Waller was a driving force behind the Fed’s three rate cuts in the second half of last year.

From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026

All eyes are on an agent: a protagonist, a mover and shaker, a driving force.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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