1
as in to push
to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one
playfully he propelled his rambunctious friend into the swimming pool to cool off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to drive
to set or keep in motion
the aircraft is propelled by a pair of turboprop engines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of propel
That imminent expiration propelled Democrats to block a stopgap funding bill that didn’t revive the subsidies, shutting down the government.
—
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Watching Rome, Shiv, and Ken attempt to battle, scrape, and betray their way into their father’s heart—and, conversely, seeing Logan withhold, meter out, and blaspheme his version of love back at them—propelled Succession through four glorious seasons.
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2025
The rhythm is so propelling, not a minute goes wasted.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
New York time, propelling Nvidia over the milestone.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propel
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Watching Rome, Shiv, and Ken attempt to battle, scrape, and betray their way into their father’s heart—and, conversely, seeing Logan withhold, meter out, and blaspheme his version of love back at them—propelled Succession through four glorious seasons.
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2025
The rhythm is so propelling, not a minute goes wasted.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
New York time, propelling Nvidia over the milestone.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propel
Verb
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Altria The parent company of tobacco brand Marlboro and one of the country’s largest tobacco firms has pushed for less FDA oversight of e-cigarettes.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
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As Lloyd Kelly passes to Andrea Cambiaso, Valverde pushes up from right-back while Jude Bellingham and Tchouameni track Teun Koopmeiners and Khephren Thuram.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not in any explicit way—my father wasn’t the cranky, alcoholic ex-minor league baseball player who drove around Los Angeles with his pool cleaning equipment in the back of his Cadillac convertible played by Matthau.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Holcomb had driven all the way from Heber Springs with her daughter at the prospect of free food.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Other visitors have reported hearing coughing from the TB cabins, or being shoved even though no one was near.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
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That’s when one volunteer from Compañeros was shoved by an ICE agent, Orozco-Perez said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The buttery-soft fabric is lightweight and stretchy enough to move with you while still retaining its shape over time.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
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On top of that responsibility and stress, he was frustrated with the Blazers’ losing and his role moving forward.—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The incident came after a tense year for Harvard students, teachers and staff who were thrust into the national spotlight amid the White House’s push to reshape higher education.—
Michelle Watson,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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From product recalls to workplace discrimination, to customer mistreatment scandals, CEOs are often thrust into the spotlight and forced to apologize.—
Prachi Gala,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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National Guard troops have been staging at Portland training bases for weeks while the legal case plays out, having been activated to protect federal officials and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility that has been the focal point of daily protests since June.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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