Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

what someone is driving at

phrase

/wɒt ˈsʌmwʌn ɪz ˈdraɪvɪŋ æt/

Definition

The intention or point a person is trying to communicate or achieve, often not explicitly stated.

Examples

When she kept mentioning the numbers, I wondered what she was driving at.
In his speech, he had a point but I wasn’t sure what he was really driving at.
After several vague comments, I finally understood what he was driving at in the meeting.

Meaning

It describes the overall purpose or direction of someone’s argument or discussion, usually implying that there is a deeper implication that is not immediately obvious.