Synonyms of propels

propels

verb

present tense third-person singular of propel

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

• pushes
• shoves
• drives
• thrusts
• moves
• impels
• squeezes
• compels
• forces
• jams
• pressures
• bears (down)
• compresses
• depresses
• weighs (upon)
• muscles
• leans (on or against)
• squashes
• rams
• bulldozes

2

as in drives

to set or keep in motion

the aircraft is propelled by a pair of turboprop engines

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drives
• moves
• activates
• impels
• actuates
• stimulates
• works
• motivates
• triggers
• provokes
• raises
• incites
• inspires
• stirs (up)
• whips (up)
• ferments
• excites
• sets off
• rouses
• trips
• arouses
• foments
• abets
• fires (up)
• galvanizes
• instigates
• inflames

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• contains
• inhibits
• regulates
• restrains
• constrains
• controls
• reins (in)
• curbs
• checks
• bridles

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of propels

In any traditional chase scene, a clear understanding of hero and villain propels the action forward. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Garcia’s comes from standing up straight in his orthodox stance but is driven by his back leg, which propels him forward. — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The shoe has a rocker forefoot that propels you forward and keeps you feeling fast and light. — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026

The main thing that propels Jordan Brand’s retro business is the unique look of its classic sneakers, many of which introduced industry-first designs. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

His attempt to discover what he is supposed to be doing propels him through a succession of increasingly strange encounters, as his search for purpose becomes entangled with his desire for love, friendship and some kind of place in the world. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

This is partly what propels his mole demi-glace, a convergence of inspirations realized in a duck and smoked chicken stock sharpened by the foundational components of mole. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

More importantly, part of what propels the narrative in the book is Bret being the only one of his friends to see a dark side to Robert. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026

In fact, sometimes the name is what propels us toward development in the first place. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026