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

The driving force behind that is Padre Pepe, a chatty parish priest in jeans and checked shirt rather than a dog collar.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 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

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

What is the driving force behind relativism and postmodernism?

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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