1
as in pushing
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 driving
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 propelling
Junior Lucas Heald registered a hat trick, propelling Duxbury (6-2-1) during a 3-1 Patriot League win over Plymouth North.
—
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Lower interest rates are propelling much of that.
—Diana Olick, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Building on the momentum, Amazon Music and Bad Bunny announced a wide-spanning initiative focused on propelling education, cultural empowerment, and economic development to create meaningful change across Puerto Rico.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
Yates punched the air, running back and forth across the stage and propelling into leaps and whirls.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
This dual function allows the insect to execute dramatic maneuvers — up to 96-degree turns in 50 milliseconds — while propelling itself at speeds of 120 body lengths per second, a performance comparable to the acrobatic saccades of fruit flies in air.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The track itself functions as a giant linear motor, propelling the train forward like a wave pushing a surfer.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Klarna made its New York Stock Exchange debut this week, sending its market cap soaring to $15 billion—propelling around 40 staffers to millionaire status overnight, with its executive team gaining the most from the IPO.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
The trekking poles that had been propelling me would soon become invaluable on the descent.
—Katie Jackson, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Lower interest rates are propelling much of that.
—Diana Olick, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Building on the momentum, Amazon Music and Bad Bunny announced a wide-spanning initiative focused on propelling education, cultural empowerment, and economic development to create meaningful change across Puerto Rico.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
Yates punched the air, running back and forth across the stage and propelling into leaps and whirls.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
This dual function allows the insect to execute dramatic maneuvers — up to 96-degree turns in 50 milliseconds — while propelling itself at speeds of 120 body lengths per second, a performance comparable to the acrobatic saccades of fruit flies in air.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The track itself functions as a giant linear motor, propelling the train forward like a wave pushing a surfer.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Klarna made its New York Stock Exchange debut this week, sending its market cap soaring to $15 billion—propelling around 40 staffers to millionaire status overnight, with its executive team gaining the most from the IPO.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
The trekking poles that had been propelling me would soon become invaluable on the descent.
—Katie Jackson, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propelling
Verb
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Keeping his foot on the gas also means pushing ahead with reforms.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Undocumented immigrants are not legally eligible for the health subsidies Democrats are pushing for in the negotiations.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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Arsenal have been so used to Saka coming inside onto his left foot, so to have a player who is equally capable of driving down the outside and running along the byline is a new threat.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In front of reporters, the agent grabbed the crying woman by the arms before shoving her to the wall and then downward.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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There's one moment in the trailer that shows Wolverine slashing an enemy with multiple cuts before shoving his claws straight through his skull, confirming this game is going to embrace the violence and berserker rage of this character.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The traffic itself generally keeps moving rather than fully stopping.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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Former Arkansas head coach and current offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino will reportedly become the interim head coach at Arkansas moving forward, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The protagonist's youth doesn't defang the story, as Silent Hill f wastes no time thrusting Hinako and her friends into their personal hells.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
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Posey played Scott McCall, a normal teen trying to navigate his way through high school until he was bitten by a werewolf, thrusting him further into the supernatural events happening in the fictional town of Beacon Hills.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mars activating Pluto can harness your career ambitions into an all-or-nothing approach.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
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This is especially true with clever Mercury transiting the depths of Scorpio, activating your eighth house of transformation and joint ventures.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propelling. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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