in the driver's seat

Idioms  

1. Also, in the saddle. In control, in a position of authority. For example, With the boss on vacation, Mr. Burns was in the driver's seat and enjoying it, or She waited until after the election, knowing that she'd be in the saddle then. The first expression dates from the 1800s, the second from the early 1600s. Also see at the helm.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the driver's seat

“He got in the driver’s seat when the deregulation trend was incipient. He was a champion of deregulating the financial industry.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its formidable boss, Janno Lieber, who’d cut his teeth rebuilding the World Trade Center site, were now in the driver’s seat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

Mercedes’s move to put Antonelli in the driver’s seat at 17 years old was seen as a huge risk.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

With AI back in the driver’s seat, these pitfalls may come back into focus too.

From Barron's ● Apr. 17, 2026

The person in the driver’s seat wore black.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix