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
-
Can Green Bay finish drives with touchdowns without Kraft, who has hauled in six of Love's 13 TD passes this year?—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025 -
If search reliability drives a beat, update evergreen explainers and refine the internal links that help readers stay oriented.—
Malana VanTyler,
Ascend Agency,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Dutch is a typical Schwarzenegger hero — all rippling muscle and bravery — but with a humane integrity that compels him to keep his team safe.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The hope is that, armed with new technology, that decline of foreign aid serves a rallying call that compels African countries to forge their own paths, free from the constraints of aid dependency and external policy pressures.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
First, coverage that moves with changing shapes across the day, not just throughout multiple months.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Thousands of flights have been canceled, a trend that is expected to continue this week even as Congress moves toward reopening the government.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
On the other hand, statins lower LDL cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in the liver, which then forces the liver to remove more LDL cholesterol from the body.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Nonetheless, Williams’ presence on the field alone forces LSU’s defense to account for him at all times due to his big-play ability.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Moon in Virgo from November 13 to 15 activates your healing and subconscious sector, making this a powerful time to retreat, recalibrate, and listen to the whispers within.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The case magnetically attaches to the back and front of the Gen II and activates sleep/wake functions when the cover is opened and closed.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
While China often threatens and coerces other countries, such as in disputes with South Korea and Australia, its actions are often triggered by events that China feels directly threaten its core interests.—
David C. Kang,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Compulsory heterosexuality is a theoretical framework coined by lesbian scholar Adrienne Rich in 1980 to describe how heterosexuality as an institution compels and coerces female sexuality for patriarchal purposes.—
Quispe López,
Them.,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This youthfulness, combined with an openness to innovation, propels the country’s rapid evolution.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The movie stars one of Rancho’s own, Jay Dee (frontman of Herencia de Patrones), as Chito, a young farm worker whose raw talent propels him from the fields to viral fame amid a new wave of Mexican-American music.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In May, the city passed new rules requiring retailers with at least 76 carts to either install theft prevention mechanisms, use security deposit devices, or enter into a cart retrieval contract that obligates proactive efforts to pick up their carts.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The recommendation only obligates actions if the parties choose to adopt it.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Impels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impels. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share