idiom · neutral
in the driver's seat
UK/ɪn ðə ˈdraɪvə(r)z siːt/US/ɪn ðə ˈdraɪvərz siːt/in·the·DRIVER'S·SEAT
to be in control or to have the power to make decisions
Examples
“After the restructuring, she found herself in the driver's seat for all major product decisions.”
“With the new contract secured, the company is now in the driver's seat during pricing talks.”
“If you want to lead the project, you need to show you can be in the driver's seat.”
Band 8 sentence
“Once the board approved her strategy, she was firmly in the driver's seat and set the roadmap for the next two years.”
Collocations
- be in the driver's seat
- put someone in the driver's seat
Word family
Common mistakes
on the driver's seat→in the driver's seat
in driver seat→in the driver's seat
Say it for a higher band
5be in control→6take the lead→7+in the driver's seat
Synonyms
be in control
take the lead
Easily confused
take the lead
“She took the lead in organising the outreach programme.”
Related words
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In Work
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