driven

[ driv-uhn ]

verb

1. past participle of drive.

adjective

1. being under compulsion, as to succeed or excel:

   a driven young man who was fiercely competitive.

2. controlled or propelled by something specified (used in combination):

   a market-driven approach to retaining talent; data-driven business strategies; a water pump that is solar driven.

driven

/ ˈdrɪvən /

verb

1. the past participle of drive

Other Words From

• driven·ness noun
• un·driven adjective
• well-driven adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of driven¹

First recorded in 1300–50, for the adjective for an earlier sense

Idioms and Phrases

see pure as the driven snow .

Example Sentences

The bird flu crisis, driven by the H5N1 virus, began several years ago, but ramped up considerably in April when dairy cows started becoming infected.

From Salon

"The cost of raw materials for businesses continued to fall, once again driven by lower crude oil prices," he added.

From BBC

Many new users have said their decision to join Bluesky was driven by Elon Musk, who heavily backed Donald Trump's election campaign and intends to remain involved in the new administration.

From BBC

The farmers' demonstration was best summed up in two images: real tractors being driven by farmers around Parliament Square, and beside them a collection of toy tractors being peddled around by their children.

From BBC

That pattern is driven by young voters, Mitchell said, who “end up voting later than everyone else,” and tend to lean more liberal.

From Los Angeles Times