driven

adjective

driv·​en ˈdri-vən How to pronounce driven (audio)
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
Kinsey redoubled his efforts. If he had been driven before, now there was a manic quality to his work.David Halberstam
2
: 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

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Iceman is more Nix’s personality — confident, driven, rigid and dedicated. Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024 The common narrative suggests that European founders are less driven, that venture capital in Europe lags far behind, and that the continent’s fragmented markets and complicated regulatory environments stifle creativity and innovation. Kjartan Rist, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Scorpio career horoscope Scorpios are goal-oriented and driven, Montúfar says. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024 Harriman was a woman of action and, on the evidence presented here, a supremely confident, canny, seductive, driven, and discreet one. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for driven 

Word History

Etymology

see drive entry 1

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of driven was in 1797

Dictionary Entries Near driven

Cite this Entry

“Driven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/driven. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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