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 move
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
Political upheaval, war, and genocide propelled the Kurds to immigrate elsewhere—including to the United States in four major waves, the first of which began in 1976.
—
Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2025
Lately, breakthroughs in trade talks between the US and its trading partners ahead of President Donald Trump’s August 1 tariff deadline have buoyed stocks, propelling the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to record highs.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 31 July 2025
Microsoft’s strong earnings print propelled the company to a $4 trillion market capitalization.
—Brian Evans,lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 July 2025
This alone should inexorably propel New Delhi to consummate a new geopolitical alignment with Washington because the latter, too, is threatened by Beijing, albeit for different reasons and in different ways.
—Nirupama Rao, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for propel
Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2025
Lately, breakthroughs in trade talks between the US and its trading partners ahead of President Donald Trump’s August 1 tariff deadline have buoyed stocks, propelling the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to record highs.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 31 July 2025
Microsoft’s strong earnings print propelled the company to a $4 trillion market capitalization.
—Brian Evans,lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 July 2025
This alone should inexorably propel New Delhi to consummate a new geopolitical alignment with Washington because the latter, too, is threatened by Beijing, albeit for different reasons and in different ways.
—Nirupama Rao, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for propel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propel
Verb
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Trump is pushing red states to make changes now to give Republicans a boost in the mid-term elections, which tend to favor the party outside of the White House.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Washington has sent Kyiv more than $66 billion in weapons; enacted a list of sanctions on the Russian economy; and helped the G-7 push through an unprecedented price-cap scheme meant to limit Russian oil revenues—all in the hope Moscow would sue for peace.—
Daniel DePetris,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Mederos had been more over the top, but the Angels moved his arm down about 10 degrees.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The weakness occurs when data moves from one system to another and is left unencrypted.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The pie shoved in Anthony’s face by his lover, Giuseppe, felt like a neat distillation of how crudely the series seemed to clown its characters, week after week after week.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
15 Aug. 2025
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When everything was ready, Paul shoved his rifle into the saddle boot and climbed onto Flikka.—
Fred C. Mercer,
Outdoor Life,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Lastly, in May 2024, Tamura was pulled over for driving a car with no license plate.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
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Four electric motors drive each of its wheels independently, with dynamic torque vectoring to proactively manage the immense forces at play.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Taissa did a phenomenal job portraying both wanting to follow her heart and fighting against the societal pressures and eventually her acceptance of what path she was being thrust upon.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Aug. 2025
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Suddenly, Amador – a popular former principal dancer who had been the company’s rehearsal director since 2020 – was thrust into the position of interim artistic director.—
David Lyman,
The Enquirer,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Pro Bowl linebacker was finally activated from the physically unable to perform list last Sunday after 11 months of rehabbing and trying to get back on the practice field.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
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This will cover your initial wager to activate your preferred offer with bet365.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As in the current war, the aim was to split the Russian elite by impelling those afraid of sanctions to press Putin to reconsider his politics.—
Alexander Baunov,
Foreign Affairs,
3 May 2023
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Takashi Shimura beautifully portrays Kanji Watanabe, an aging bureaucrat with stomach cancer who is impelled to find meaning in his final days.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propel. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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