1
as in pushes
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 drives
to set or keep in motion
the aircraft is propelled by a pair of turboprop engines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of propels
Normally, this turns the C ring counterclockwise (like the opposite turning of interlocking gears), which propels the swimming cell forward.
—
Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Their unexpected connection propels them on a road trip to San Francisco… As the landscapes shift from the bustling city to serene coastal towns, their relationship deepens, revealing vulnerabilities, regrets and dreams.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Grief lives most vibrantly in the periods where your life stretches and bends, the loss constant while life propels forward.
—Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Beijing is also advancing railgun technology, a type of electromagnetic weapon that propels projectiles along a pair of parallel rails at extreme speeds, while promising higher velocity and longer range than conventional guns, potentially transforming naval and land-based combat.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
In astrology, the sun represents our vitality, identity and the force that propels us forward in life.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Then, the panels that protect the Orion service module that fuels and propels the vehicle in space will similarly be jettisoned.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
To perform forward motion, the two rear rotors increase speed while the front rotors simultaneously reduce speed, creating an imbalance that tilts the drone and propels it forward.
—Etiido Uko
march 30, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
This refers to missiles with at least two rocket engines, one allowing the missile to reach space, and the other propels it to its target, at a range of up to 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles).
—Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Their unexpected connection propels them on a road trip to San Francisco… As the landscapes shift from the bustling city to serene coastal towns, their relationship deepens, revealing vulnerabilities, regrets and dreams.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Grief lives most vibrantly in the periods where your life stretches and bends, the loss constant while life propels forward.
—Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Beijing is also advancing railgun technology, a type of electromagnetic weapon that propels projectiles along a pair of parallel rails at extreme speeds, while promising higher velocity and longer range than conventional guns, potentially transforming naval and land-based combat.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
In astrology, the sun represents our vitality, identity and the force that propels us forward in life.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Then, the panels that protect the Orion service module that fuels and propels the vehicle in space will similarly be jettisoned.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
To perform forward motion, the two rear rotors increase speed while the front rotors simultaneously reduce speed, creating an imbalance that tilts the drone and propels it forward.
—Etiido Uko
march 30, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
This refers to missiles with at least two rocket engines, one allowing the missile to reach space, and the other propels it to its target, at a range of up to 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles).
—Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propels
Verb
-
Moving from the treadmill to the floor, adding the use of dumbbells while balancing on a workout ball then back to the treadmill pushes participants to levels normally meant for professional athletes.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
That rapid turnover pushes demand—and prices—higher.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The trading push comes as the Middle East war disrupts commodity flows and drives up costs across global supply chains.—
Lee Ying Shan,Emily Tan,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists know that dark energy is an all-pervasive something that drives the universe’s accelerating expansion.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Back in the family’s house, the walking corpse shoves a boy onto the dishwasher, impaling him full of cutlery.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Frances shoves June at Boy Carteret.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each of us moves through a world strewn with figurative mountains and molehills, continually assessing what matters more and what matters less.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
What was a human being a second before is now a head bobbing among the waves as the vessel moves quickly away.—
David Szondy
April 19,
New Atlas,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Servín activates his panic button that many searchers carry.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Unlike traditional compression, which applies constant pressure—whether it’s needed or not—Rheon activates only during impact (movement or strain) and then returns to a flexible state.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And so, our mission – grounded in both truth and love – impels us to discern the motives that shape events, and the shifts in thought that drive human progress through higher ideals of justice, mercy, and wisdom.—
Christa Case Bryant,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Propels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propels. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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