drive for excellence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "drive for excellence" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about an individual's ambition for success or a company's commitment to excellence. For example, "His drive for excellence made him a success in all of his endeavors."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

The old man's drive for excellence ultimately got the deal done.

The New York Times - Sports

His drive for excellence and passion for the House of Cartier influenced everyone who worked with or met him.

The New York Times

We enjoy a very interesting father-son relationship as he mentors and pushes me to drive for excellence.

The New York Times

"Hanson school is proud of the achievements made over the past couple of years and we continue our drive for excellence.

The Guardian

The research results are particularly essential in assisting key project stakeholders to realise the potential benefits derived from the use of GMP/TCC contracts and in generating more useful insights into alternative integrated contracting strategies for the construction industry, so as to drive for excellence in overall project performance.

International Journal of Project Management

Anybody who knows Bill will attest to the intensity he brings to all his endeavors, and anyone who has seen him operate as a philanthropist will see the same intensity, attention to detail, and drive for excellence that characterized his time leading Microsoft.

Stanford University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

The truly committed will continue to reap the benefits of lower resource use, higher employee engagement and health, a drive for operational excellence, and less exposure to risk as carbon becomes more expensive.

The Guardian

Gooch's relentless drive for batting excellence, an almost puritan dedication to it, and an inflexible work ethic that dominated his time as captain, could start to grate a little on those brought up in the modern generation of big hits and exotic strokes.

The Guardian - Sport

This suggestion may well be provocative to American educators, but the East Asian experience is so consistent: the drive for individual excellence turns out to be as important as the emphasis on collaborative effort as far as mathematics performance is concerned.

International Journal of STEM Education

The tension between the drive for technical excellence in research and the need for capacity building was not resolved by the program as many project teams felt they needed to make tradeoffs.

Global Health Action

Other programs and causes that Weichert backs include Toys for Tots at the holidays, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, high school scholarships and the National Alliance for Excellence drive to collect musical instruments for students.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When highlighting the importance of high standards, use "drive for excellence" to showcase proactive and continuous efforts towards achieving those standards.

Common error

Avoid using "drive for excellence" to justify unattainable goals. Emphasize progress and improvement rather than demanding flawlessness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drive for excellence" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often used to describe a quality or attribute related to ambition and high standards. Examples from Ludwig indicate its use in describing personal qualities or organizational goals.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

27%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

13%

Wiki

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "drive for excellence" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression that describes a strong motivation to achieve high standards. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage across diverse fields like academia, news, and business. When using the phrase, it's important to focus on continuous improvement and progress rather than unattainable perfection. Alternatives such as "commitment to excellence" or "striving for excellence" can also be employed to convey similar meanings, as reflected in Ludwig's examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

striving for excellence

Highlights the continuous effort and ambition to achieve high standards.

commitment to excellence

Focuses on the dedication and pledge towards achieving high standards.

dedication to excellence

Focuses on committed and consistent effort to achieve high standards.

push for excellence

Highlights the active and forceful effort to achieve high standards.

passion for excellence

Highlights the enthusiasm and strong feeling associated with the pursuit of high quality.

pursuit of excellence

Emphasizes the act of actively seeking and trying to achieve superior quality.

ambition for excellence

Stresses the strong desire and determination to reach high standards.

zeal for excellence

Emphasizes fervent enthusiasm and eagerness in the pursuit of high standards.

quest for excellence

Emphasizes the search and journey towards attaining high standards.

yearning for excellence

Highlights a deep longing and desire for achieving superior quality.

FAQs

How can I use "drive for excellence" in a sentence?

You can use "drive for excellence" to describe someone's commitment to high standards, such as, "Her drive for excellence made her a successful CEO."

What are some alternatives to "drive for excellence"?

You can use alternatives like "commitment to excellence", "pursuit of excellence", or "striving for excellence" to express a similar meaning.

Is "drive for excellence" the same as "drive for perfection"?

While both phrases imply ambition, "drive for excellence" suggests aiming for high standards and continuous improvement, while "drive for perfection" implies an unattainable demand for flawlessness.

What does it mean to have a "drive for excellence"?

Having a "drive for excellence" means possessing a strong internal motivation and determination to achieve high-quality results and continuously improve in your endeavors.