Showing results for in the driver's seat. Search instead for in-the-driver-s-seat.

Synonyms

in the driver's seat

Idioms

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.

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.

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

Kidd landed in Dallas instead and seemed in the driver’s seat for a long ride until the Doncic trade.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

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

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

Win those two, and the Kings are back in the driver’s seat.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

As he hopped in, he saw a ghost in the driver’s seat.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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