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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of propel
In 2021, New York state regulators and the SEC alleged the firm had quietly propelled clients into higher-cost accounts.
—
Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Her work ethic, even as a teenager, propelled her to a win, surprising everyone around Haas, even herself.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Lower interest rates are propelling much of that.
—Diana Olick, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Zamar and Judah tried it once, but Judah got too close for Zamar to properly propel him off the ground.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propel
Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Her work ethic, even as a teenager, propelled her to a win, surprising everyone around Haas, even herself.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Lower interest rates are propelling much of that.
—Diana Olick, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Zamar and Judah tried it once, but Judah got too close for Zamar to properly propel him off the ground.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propel
Verb
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Speaking in Rhode Island, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that signs of labor market weakness had pushed policymakers to shift their balance of risks in a way that justified a rate cut this month.—
Benzinga,
Freep.com,
27 Sep. 2025
-
This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The traffic itself generally keeps moving rather than fully stopping.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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Univisión moved the Premios Juventud to Panama and the Latin Grammys to Las Vegas, after hosting the 2024 event here.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The agent then shoved Moses out of the elevator and towards the group of a dozen journalists and camera crews.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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The journalists were documenting an arrest when they were shoved, according to the New York Immigration Coalition.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While OpenAI says that scaling is key to driving innovation and future AI breakthroughs, investors and analysts are beginning to raise their eyebrows over the mindboggling sums.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
29 Sep. 2025
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And entertainment, in my opinion, drives fashion culture.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Accusations that the president is being bigoted with his video posts come weeks after issues around respect between political rivals and free speech were thrust into the spotlight by the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder and CEO Charlie Kirk on September 10.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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That change has been accelerated by the advent of social media, which has thrust designers into a bigger arena, said Linda Fargo, senior vice president of fashion at Bergdorf Goodman.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
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Any of these games will qualify to activate your preferred reward from bet365.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Single-minded and fairly humorless, Chappellet is impelled but seldom impulsive.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
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While the recent protests were sparked by the social media ban, protesters said that they had been impelled by years of government corruption and failure to provide young people with economic opportunities.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propel. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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