Quick answer: “Drive someone up the wall” means to annoy someone intensely.
Drive someone up the wall means to annoy or irritate a person so much that they feel they can barely stand it any longer.
Origin & History
The image is of someone so irritated that they might as well be climbing the walls out of frustration, unable to keep still or contain their annoyance.
The idiom is common in informal speech about noisy neighbours, repetitive habits, and other everyday irritations.
Idioms like this are the kind of expression documented in general reference works such as the Cambridge Dictionary, which record how figurative meanings develop in everyday English.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| His constant tapping drives me up the wall. | Everyday annoyance |
| The noisy neighbours are driving her up the wall. | Home, neighbours |
| Stop clicking that pen — it's driving me up the wall! | Direct speech |
| Traffic jams drive him up the wall every morning. | Commuting |
| Her little brother drives her up the wall with his jokes. | Family |
How to Use It
The idiom always takes a direct object between ‘drive’ and ‘up the wall’: ‘drive someone up the wall’, never just ‘drive up the wall’ alone.
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
drive up the wall someone.
drive someone up the wall. — The object goes between the verb and the phrase.
drive someone on the wall.
drive someone up the wall. — The fixed preposition is ‘up’, not ‘on’.
drives up the walls.
drives someone up the wall. — Use singular ‘wall’ and always include the object.
Similar Idioms
Practise This Idiom
Practice English Idioms
Use these exercises to master idioms in context:
Want to understand the grammar behind this? Explore our Grammar guides.
Quick Check: Drive someone up the wall
2 questions — test what you just learned.
1. What does “Drive someone up the wall” mean?
2. Complete the sentence: “Stop clicking that pen — it's _____!”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "drive someone up the wall" mean?
To annoy or irritate a person so much that they feel they can barely stand it any longer.
Where does "drive someone up the wall" come from?
The image is of someone so irritated that they might as well be climbing the walls out of frustration, unable to keep still or contain their annoyance.
Can you give an example of "drive someone up the wall" in a sentence?
"His constant tapping drives me up the wall." Another: "The noisy neighbours are driving her up the wall."
Is "drive someone up the wall" formal or informal?
It is informal to neutral, and common in everyday spoken and written English.
What CEFR level is "drive someone up the wall"?
B1. It suits learners who are comfortable with figurative, idiomatic language at this level.
What are common mistakes with "drive someone up the wall"?
A common mistake is saying “drive up the wall someone” instead of “drive someone up the wall”. The object goes between the verb and the phrase.
What idioms are similar to "drive someone up the wall"?
Related expressions include Get out of hand, Fly off the handle, Blow a fuse.
Can "drive someone up the wall" be used in writing?
Yes, it appears in blogs, informal articles, and everyday written messages, though very formal writing may prefer a more direct wording.
How do I practise idioms like "drive someone up the wall"?
Use LexFizz Flash Cards and Flip Tiles, and try using "drive someone up the wall" in a sentence of your own to connect the idiom to a real situation.
What's the difference between this and “fly off the handle”?
‘Drive someone up the wall’ describes the annoyed person's frustration building up; ‘fly off the handle’ describes a sudden angry reaction, often the result of being driven up the wall.