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
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Recent Examples of propel
Whether his mayorship propelled Buttigieg to national attention, however, is not open to doubt.
—
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Surging oil prices are being propelled upward by a standstill in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s southern coast.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2026
The money funded terrorist attacks that undermined Israeli confidence in the peace process, propelling Oslo skeptic Benjamin Netanyahu to the prime ministership in 1996.
—Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
That helped set the stage for a five-run inning that propelled Texas to a 10-3 win.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propel
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Surging oil prices are being propelled upward by a standstill in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s southern coast.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2026
The money funded terrorist attacks that undermined Israeli confidence in the peace process, propelling Oslo skeptic Benjamin Netanyahu to the prime ministership in 1996.
—Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
That helped set the stage for a five-run inning that propelled Texas to a 10-3 win.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propel
Verb
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Political observers saw the explicit branding as a sign of Netanyahu’s plan to capitalize on the wartime momentum at the ballot box and push for early elections to maximize the electoral dividends.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Charging the future faster than ever BYD is introducing the 2nd Generation Blade Battery and FLASH Charging Technology, pushing the boundaries of safety, efficiency and performance.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet, Whitman-Hanson had one final gasp, as Pierre drove to the basket.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
10 Mar. 2026
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The neighborhood/area The immediate neighborhood around the resort doesn’t offer much beyond lush greenery, but drive about 15 minutes west to find the famous Alona Beach, a particularly scenic strip of sand bookended by dramatic rock walls.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The singer then broke down in hysterical laughter, falling onto the table in front of her and shoving her microphone away.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
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Johnson then gripped the child by the neck and shoved a bottle repeatedly in and out of the baby’s mouth.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This led investigators to determine that Michael’s body was once buried in the backyard, but moved before the excavation.—
Alex Brizee
March 5,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
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With this framework in place, the robots can move with human-like agility, run, jump, and climb over obstacles in urban or natural environments.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Many cities have embarked on similar efforts ahead of big events that thrust them into the national and international spotlight.—
Caroline Silva,
AJC.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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Behold the 2000s, a wild time when just about anyone could post on Blogger and thrust a young band to sudden, often fleeting success.—
Brian Howe,
Pitchfork,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
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The crash caused severe front-end damage to the sedan and activated its airbags, video from news-gathering agency OnScene shows.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Propel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propel. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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