1
as in driving
to set or keep in motion
gasoline impels a car's engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in compelling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impelling
Verb
-
Good Fortune follows Reeves as an angel, Gabriel, tasked by his boss, Martha (Sandra Oh), with stopping humans from dying while texting and driving.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025 -
Avoid using phones or other distracting behaviors while driving in a work zone.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In season four, Mike’s control over Kingstown is threatened as new players compete to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling him to confront the resulting gang war and stop them from swallowing the town.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
20 Aug. 2025
-
This approach would have put unions on the defensive, compelling them to confront the state’s dire financial realities.—
Frank Ricci,
Hartford Courant,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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After the last two years, the absence of Israel and its attendant debates is a conspicuous one.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
23 Aug. 2025
-
His numbers since the beginning of July are disappointing and conspicuous, especially given the current seven-game gap in the National League Central between the Cubs and Brewers.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Woolen was running stride-for-stride with Pearsall but misplayed the ball and slowed down while the second-year wideout kept moving forward.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Cavitation, on the other hand, provides a high-energy, controllable launch system that doesn’t require onboard power or moving parts.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The legislation will limit repayment options and cap borrowing limits for graduate students, including eliminating Graduate PLUS loans, forcing more students to apply for private loans or reconsider their education options.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In the most striking example, DOGE instructed Dudek to cancel two contracts that the SSA had with the state of Maine, according to Dudek and other SSA officials.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
-
With Saturn nearing its brightest, biggest and best for 2025, expect a striking pairing in the east that will be worth getting outside for.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s why activating existing natural strengths not only boosts the leader’s self-confidence but also instills trust in the team.—
Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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For example, one brain imaging study found that activating opioid receptors in the hypothalamus (often called the control coordinating center of the brain) partially helped with resetting the body’s internal temperature for postmenopausal women.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Pressuring or coercing someone into ending their life would be punishable by up to 14 years in prison.—
Alistair Smout,
USA TODAY,
29 Nov. 2024
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That same sentence will remain for anyone found guilty of tricking, pressuring or coercing someone into making the choice if the bill is ultimately passed.—
David Hodari,
NBC News,
29 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Impelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impelling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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