PROPELS Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

propels

verb

present tense third-person singular of propel

as in pushes

to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one playfully he propelled his rambunctious friend into the swimming pool to cool off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in drives

to set or keep in motion the aircraft is propelled by a pair of turboprop engines

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of propels In any traditional chase scene, a clear understanding of hero and villain propels the action forward. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026 Garcia’s comes from standing up straight in his orthodox stance but is driven by his back leg, which propels him forward. — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 The shoe has a rocker forefoot that propels you forward and keeps you feeling fast and light. — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026 The main thing that propels Jordan Brand’s retro business is the unique look of its classic sneakers, many of which introduced industry-first designs. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 His attempt to discover what he is supposed to be doing propels him through a succession of increasingly strange encounters, as his search for purpose becomes entangled with his desire for love, friendship and some kind of place in the world. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 This is partly what propels his mole demi-glace, a convergence of inspirations realized in a duck and smoked chicken stock sharpened by the foundational components of mole. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 More importantly, part of what propels the narrative in the book is Bret being the only one of his friends to see a dark side to Robert. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 In fact, sometimes the name is what propels us toward development in the first place. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for propels

Verb

The figures are averages, and a small number of very big spenders pushes them up.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
If the midterms clear the deck of uncertainty and tech leadership pushes the index to fresh highs, these calls will provide leveraged participation in the ongoing rally.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of pushes

Verb

This absence drives Shimoda to unearth historical records like FBI files; to visit Manzanar, the concentration camp his grandfather was sent to in Missouri; and to travel to his grandfather’s ancestral homeland in Japan.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Money drives them apart, but that’s what they’re expected to care about.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of drives

Verb

Riley was a direct inspiration on the record, and while the Bay Area composer did work with drones, his influence is more poignant here, in the way Schwendener breaks the melody down into pieces and moves them around.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
Bits per second is commonly used in BCI research to quantify how quickly and accurately a user can select intended targets, rather than simply measuring how fast a cursor physically moves.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of moves

Verb

The geometry of the dome itself regulates ventilation and activates natural air circulation through the stack effect, complemented by floor-level air intake to prevent direct drafts and maintain a consistent microclimate.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
The Recorder page activates the glasses’ voice recorder, which saves the audio recording, a transcript of everything said, and an AI summary.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of activates

Verb

Walking through it, which the work impels one to do, shows that the six sections of Shift afford a sequence of passages down into and across the terrain.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
And so, our mission – grounded in both truth and love – impels us to discern the motives that shape events, and the shifts in thought that drive human progress through higher ideals of justice, mercy, and wisdom.

— Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025