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
-
Investors will be watching the hearing closely to see how Warsh balances Trump’s demands for lower interest rates as the war in Iran pushes up the price of gasoline, adding to inflationary pressures that already exist.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Mosley, however, pushes back at the criticism.—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That drives pocket-protector wearing water engineers a little crazy, because steady outcomes are what these men and women live for.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Thousands of Samsung Electronics workers rallied Thursday at its computer chip complex in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, demanding higher bonuses and threatening to strike as booming demand for artificial intelligence drives up memory-chip profits.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 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
-
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
-
Sousa, returning from an oblique injury, will pitch on back-to-back days as the final step of his rehab assignment before Houston activates him.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Rumblex Max is the most advanced vibration plate in Lifepro's Rumblex series, delivering powerful 4D training that activates your entire body.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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 24 Apr. 2026.
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