1
as in drives
to set or keep in motion
gasoline impels a car's engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in compels
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impels
Verb
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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives to the paint against Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at American Airlines Center on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Dallas.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026 -
In our communities, and even in our families, tribalism drives us not merely to disagree with but to despise one another.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There is a growing perception that some schools are frequently tampering and that knowledge compels other schools to tamper as well to avoid being placed at a competitive disadvantage.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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Logic compels me to go with One Battle After Another, as editor Andy Jurgensen ensures his film’s nearly three-hour runtime flies by.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
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After that, the Moon moves from AQUARIUS into PISCES.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But if Taylor forces Miranda to choose between her and Shinia, well, Shinia has been a better friend to Miranda than Taylor ever was.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
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As the threat of strikes by Iran forces oil tankers destined for Asia to idle in the Persian Gulf, some top Republicans have declared an economic victory against a rival super power.—
Evan Halper,
Washington Post,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The moody Moon activates your 3rd House of Chatter while squaring radical Uranus in your 6th House of Sensibility, prompting updates in accordance with shifting timelines.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Leaning forward demands strength and stability in your core and lower back, while a rowing motion activates your shoulder, arm, and upper back muscles.—
Jenessa Connor,
Health,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Dec. 2025
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Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Energy propels the film forward a bit more than the plot when the exact reasons why Nick feels compelled to spare Mike have to remain shrouded in mystery.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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Coach Wes Miller hopes this previous momentum propels his team into the NCAA Tournament.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The registry obligates legitimate telemarketers to stop calling numbers listed on it.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
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In prior administrations, including during my time in the Obama administration, such leverage ran into statutory guardrails under the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates the United States to provide Taiwan defensive capabilities.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Impels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impels. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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