propulsion

noun

pro·​pul·​sion prə-ˈpəl-shən 

1

: the action or process of propelling

2

: something that propels

Examples of propulsion in a Sentence

Sailboats use wind as their source of propulsion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Flying aboard the Orion spacecraft, the crew is currently executing a free-return trajectory around the Moon, a path that will naturally guide them back to Earth without additional propulsion if required. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026

With that funding, Isaacman said, NASA should be able to pursue a lunar settlement, create a new Mars spacecraft powered by nuclear propulsion, and get various science missions off the ground, such as the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. —Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026

And the idea of combining gasoline with battery propulsion sounded more like a university engineering experiment than a mainstream vehicle. —Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026

On Day 1, the astronauts made it safely into Earth's orbit and the mission reached the end of its first major propulsion phase, NASA said. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin prōpulsiōn-, prōpulsiō "action of driving out or urging on," derivative, with the suffix of verbal action -tiōn-, -tiō, of Latin propellere "to push or thrust forward, compel to go onward" (with -s- from past participle and verbal noun prōpulsus) — more at propel

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing propulsion

• jet propulsion
• self-propulsion

Rhymes for propulsion

• avulsion
• compulsion
• convulsion
• emulsion
• expulsion
• impulsion
• repulsion
• revulsion
• microemulsion

Kids Definition

propulsion

noun

pro·​pul·​sion prə-ˈpəl-shən 

1

: the action or process of propelling

2

: something that propels

propulsive

-ˈpəl-siv

adjective