impelling 1 of 2

adjective

as in compelling

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impelling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of impel
1
as in driving
to set or keep in motion gasoline impels a car's engine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forcing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure I felt impelled to tell the truth, however painful it might be

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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 impelling
Verb
This is a very forward-impelling perspective to come to. — Elizabeth Mata, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impelling
  1. compelling
  2. driving
  3. forcing
  4. conspicuous
  5. moving
  6. coercing
  7. striking
  8. activating
Adjective
  • Her brand-strategy background, paired with Ennismore’s hotel know-how (Luura is part of its Morgans Originals collection), makes for a pretty compelling combination.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Deep-sea expeditions offer access to a form of adventure that is both universally compelling and all but unreachable.
    — Brett Berk, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of compelling
Verb
  • The duo bicker, both in person and over the phone, as their uneasy dynamic proves to be the show’s driving force yet again.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • And with the war in Iran already driving up energy and transportation costs, businesses have less room to absorb another hit.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • Iranian news agency Rokna reported that people in Tehran said some petrol stations had no gas available, forcing them to temporarily close, while other stations had long lines on Monday and Tuesday.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Child safety advocates and some parents have welcomed age restrictions, while privacy groups say the rules can be cheated and that forcing users to supply identification raises privacy concerns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of forcing
Adjective
  • What is significant about these marginally publishable literary acts, these ten pages in the body (of the email), is not how they are read but their conspicuous unreadness.
    — M. C. Mah, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The leading men were outfitted with head-turning wigs and conspicuous facial hair, as well as spot-on replicas of the group's Tommy Nutter suits and denim ensembles.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of conspicuous
Verb
  • Earlier, Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue in Washoe County, Nevada, said the fire was moving Northeast as of Saturday evening, according to a social media post.
    — Jenna Harrison, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • People are already moving materials around in all of those places, and a lot of that work is repetitive, physically punishing, or puts people near real hazards.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of moving
Verb
  • The losses exceed the number of fresh recruits that Moscow can muster, and Russian authorities are coercing men into signing up.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Anna’s colleague Noa Toussaint (CCH Pounder) follows with a video of Max coercing his mistress into suicide, shattering the narrative that bought his freedom.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
Definition of coercing
Adjective
  • One of the more striking findings by public policy researchers based in the United Kingdom and Italy, based on new research published in Economics Letters, comes in the cumulative payload to orbit by nation.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Klein Blue made a striking statement at Bottega Veneta in a textured look, while Jil Sander, Givenchy, Dries Van Noten, and Lii used flashes of cobalt to punch up a more neutral palette.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of striking
Verb
  • This can be done by activating a population called Q neurons in a region of the hypothalamus.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers produced biochar by carbonizing mixed food waste at 752°F and then activating it with potassium hydroxide at temperatures between 1,112°F and 1,472°F.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of activating

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Cite this Entry

“Impelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impelling. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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