be the principal driver

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be the principal driver" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something is the main force or influence behind a particular action or outcome. Example: "In this project, our goal is to be the principal driver of innovation and change within the industry."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Revenues should not be the principal driver of programs, and many shows have been perceived to be just that.

The New York Times - Arts

Sport, even more than movies, Mr Chisholm realised, would be the principal driver of pay-TV and it was worth paying almost any price to "own" top football.

The Economist

They have been building what they expect to be the principal driver of change in the industry: a set of three online tools, known as the Higg Index, that measure the social and environmental impact of brands, manufacturing facilities and products.

The Guardian

The PPEF seemed to be the principal driver of the observed extreme Ne and VTEC variations in the topside ionosphere during the first sub-phase of the storm.

Earth, Planets and Space

Many of the Biopower CCS technologies gave relatively similar techno-economic results when analysed at the same scale, with the plant scale (MWe) observed to be the principal driver of CAPEX (£/MWe) and the cofiring % (i.e. the weighted feedstock cost) a key driver of LCOE.

Applied Energy

The aforementioned results suggest that race/ethnicity may be the principal driver of environmental inequity.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

In particular, SGD has been recognized as an important source of nutrients (Garcia Solsona et al. 2010), dissolved inorganic carbon (Cai et al. 2003) or trace metals (Beck 2007) to coastal waters, since they are considered to be the principal drivers of ecological change in coastal communities (Howarth et al. 2000).

Applied Water Science

The first thing we did was try to asses the conventional understanding of this, which is to say people expect that population and crime rates would be the principal drivers.

Vice

Lack of negative association of CPT-IP activation with attention domain scores suggests that attention deficits may not be the principal drivers of compensatory activation for this task.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

As such, elements of the immediate environment common to both twins, such as parental intake and feeding styles, the availability of food in the home, or the foods offered to the children are likely to be the principal drivers of dietary intake at this age (2), although these may also include broader determinants such as SES and ethnicity.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Ms. Cloyd told agents that her son Matthew was the principal driver of the S.U.V.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider alternative phrases like "be the leading factor" or "act as the key instigator" for stylistic variation, depending on the desired tone and the specific context of your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "be the principal driver" when it's already evident from the context that something is the main cause or influence. Redundancy can weaken your writing. For instance, instead of saying "innovation will be the principal driver of future success", consider simply saying "innovation will drive future success" when the centrality of innovation is clear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be the principal driver" functions as a predicative nominative, linking the subject to a noun phrase that identifies the primary motivating force or cause behind a certain outcome. Ludwig AI confirms its use across various domains.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be the principal driver" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to emphasize the primary motivating force or cause behind a certain outcome. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is most frequently encountered in scientific and news media sources and has neutral register. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly defines what is being driven and consider alternatives like ""be the leading factor"" for stylistic variation. Avoid redundancy and ensure the context warrants its use for maximum impact. Given the analysis, "be the principal driver" is a robust choice when precision and emphasis are key, but should be employed thoughtfully to maintain clarity and conciseness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be the prime mover

Substitutes "principal driver" with "prime mover", using a more concise expression to emphasize the importance of the action.

be the leading factor

Replaces "principal driver" with "leading factor", simplifying the language while retaining the meaning.

be the foremost cause

Replaces "driver" with "cause" and "principal" with "foremost", focusing on the origin of an event or situation.

serve as the primary catalyst

Substitutes "driver" with "catalyst" and "principal" with "primary", emphasizing the role of initiating change.

function as the central force

Substitutes "driver" with "force" and "principal" with "central", highlighting the importance of the action.

be the chief impetus

Substitutes "driver" with "impetus" and "principal" with "chief", underscoring the importance in initiating a particular activity.

constitute the main impetus

Replaces "driver" with "impetus" and "principal" with "main", altering the wording while keeping the core meaning.

be the predominant influence

Substitutes "driver" with "influence" and "principal" with "predominant", emphasizing the power to affect something.

act as the key instigator

Replaces "driver" with "instigator" and "principal" with "key", suggesting a more proactive role in initiating action.

be the mainspring

Replacing the expression for something that initiates or drives action.

FAQs

What does "be the principal driver" mean?

It means to be the main cause, influence, or factor that initiates or propels a particular action, change, or outcome. It emphasizes the leading role of something in achieving a specific result.

How can I use "be the principal driver" in a sentence?

Use it to highlight the primary force behind a particular action or result. For example, "Technological advancements will be the principal driver of economic growth" indicates that technological advancements are the main factor pushing economic growth forward.

What are some alternatives to "be the principal driver"?

You can use alternatives like "be the leading factor", "act as the key instigator", or "function as the central force" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more appropriate to use "be the principal driver" or "be a principal driver"?

"Be the principal driver" indicates that something is the single, most important factor. "Be a principal driver" suggests that it is one of several important factors. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize a single leading cause or multiple contributing factors.