be driven by someone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be driven by someone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a person or action is influenced or motivated by another individual. Example: "Her passion for environmental conservation is driven by her mentor's dedication to sustainability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

With dozens of people jumping and falling to their deaths on the tracks every year, any of the five million passengers who ride the city's subway every day can reasonably expect to be driven by someone who has seen, heard or even felt someone perish right in front of them.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Unless those cars are being driven by someone with a vagina.

Independent

For example, the public transport consists of these little vans that pick you up which are driven by someone's uncle.

The Guardian - Travel

"On any given day in 2008, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a hand-held cellphone," according to the agency.

The New York Times

Indie rock, or at least the iterations I know, can feel deliberately twitchy, like riding shotgun in a manual transmission Toyota being driven by someone who never learned how to shift.

The New Yorker

"GPS can get you somewhere, but being driven by someone who knows what they're doing is better than being driven by someone who is slave to a piece of computer equipment.

BBC

If you've been in a car, you've probably either driven high or been driven by someone who was.

Vice

"At any given moment during daylight hours, over 660,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone," per the website.

Huffington Post

Do not get into a car being driven by someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

WikiHow

"I can foresee stories where someone in Isis might be driven by a desert demon," he says.

Independent

They may simply be driven by greed.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be driven by someone" to emphasize external influence or motivation in situations where the subject is acted upon by another person. This construction often appears in passive voice sentences.

Common error

Avoid confusing "be driven by someone" with active constructions where the subject is the one doing the driving or motivating. Ensure the sentence clearly indicates that the subject is being influenced, not initiating the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be driven by someone" functions as a passive construction indicating that an entity's actions or state is influenced or controlled by another person. This grammatical structure shifts the focus from the actor to the recipient of the action.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be driven by someone" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that indicates influence or motivation from an external source. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's often used in passive constructions to emphasize the actor. While relatively uncommon, it appears across various news and media outlets. When using this phrase, ensure the context accurately reflects an external influence rather than self-motivation. Consider alternatives such as "be motivated by someone" or "be influenced by someone" for variations in meaning. Avoid confusing the passive construction with active voice usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be motivated by someone

Replaces "driven" with "motivated", focusing on the internal impetus provided by the person.

be influenced by someone

Emphasizes the impact of the person on one's actions or thoughts.

be guided by someone

Suggests the person provides direction or leadership.

be inspired by someone

Highlights the person as a source of creative or aspirational influence.

be controlled by someone

Implies a stronger degree of influence, where the person exerts power over one's actions.

be led by someone

Focuses on the person's role as a leader or director.

be prompted by someone

Suggests the person initiated or encouraged the action.

be instigated by someone

Implies the person started or provoked the action.

be compelled by someone

Indicates the person exerted a strong, perhaps irresistible, influence.

be pushed by someone

Suggests the person exerted pressure or encouragement to act.

FAQs

What does "be driven by someone" mean?

The phrase "be driven by someone" means to be influenced, motivated, or compelled by another person. It suggests that someone's actions or decisions are largely determined by the influence of another individual.

When is it appropriate to use "be driven by someone" in a sentence?

It's appropriate to use "be driven by someone" when you want to emphasize the external influence or motivation behind someone's actions. This construction works well in passive voice sentences where the focus is on who or what is causing the action, rather than who is performing it.

What are some alternatives to "be driven by someone"?

You can use alternatives like "be motivated by someone", "be influenced by someone", or "be guided by someone" depending on the specific context.

Is "be driven by someone" formal or informal?

The phrase "be driven by someone" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its neutrality makes it applicable in a variety of writing situations, from news reports to casual discussions.