1
a
: having a compulsive or urgent quality
a driven sense of obligation
b
: determined to succeed : highly energetic and motivated
… a versatile yacht captained by a driven skipper who has won everything in the sport …—
Herb McCormick
Herb McCormickKinsey redoubled his efforts. If he had been driven before, now there was a manic quality to his work.—David Halberstam
David Halberstam2
: propelled or motivated by something
—used in combination
results-driven
a character-driven drama
drivenness
noun
He was born two months premature and she has never stopped asking herself whether it was her drivenness, her refusal to rest, that caused it.
—Michele Magwood
Michele Magwood
Examples of driven in a Sentence
They are driven, successful people.
a man with a driven need to be loved or liked by everyone
Recent Examples on the Web
Helping supervisors regulate their stress isn't about asking them to be less driven or less ambitious.
—
Marie Unger,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Even among the driven few, only a fraction of kids use ed-tech tools such as Khanmigo enough to see any gains.
—
Mike Goldstein,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2026
The same review found that late luteal cravings for carbohydrates and comfort food are physiologically driven, not a willpower failure.
—
Allison Palmer
updated June 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
This curious and driven student hopes to continue to learn about the world around her, with a particular interest in endangered species, the news release stated.
—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for driven
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Marie Unger,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Even among the driven few, only a fraction of kids use ed-tech tools such as Khanmigo enough to see any gains.
—
Mike Goldstein,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2026
The same review found that late luteal cravings for carbohydrates and comfort food are physiologically driven, not a willpower failure.
—
Allison Palmer
updated June 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
This curious and driven student hopes to continue to learn about the world around her, with a particular interest in endangered species, the news release stated.
—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for driven
Cite this Entry
“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/driven. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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