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 drive
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 propel
Edmundson was pushed from behind as the puck propelled forward off of him.
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Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
The positives about Lurie, who ousted former Mayor London Breed in late 2024, were propelled by a coalition of voters unhappy with his city’s previous status quo.
—Thomas D. Elias, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
That meant finally writing, not as a hobby or a side hustle, but as the thing that propelled me forward.
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
The bully pulpit of New York City’s mayoralty is a powerful tool to propel a transformative initiative that could bring an end to the decades of conflict and foster peace.
—Vijay Dandapani, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propel
Verb
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But the billionaire has pushed back against guardrails for Grok within the firm, one source with knowledge of the situation at xAI told CNN.—
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More than three months after a fire destroyed more than a dozen businesses in a shopping center in Colorado's Nederland community, many residents are still pushing for the debris to be cleaned up.—
Verb
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As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the unrest has been driven by a mix of economic desperation and political anger.—
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While there are some other small new concessions in the CBA that will help players make ends meet (such as getting access to health benefits in the offseason), to hear ECHLers explain their strike vote, the pay bump was never the driving force.—
Verb
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Spurs forward Julian Champagnie immediately shoved Vanderbilt as Fox remained between the players, trying to keep them separated.—
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Fleury was shoved to the ice by Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar after sending a breakout pass and slid backward into the end boards.—
Verb
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Enrollment Though still growing overall, state economists reported in early January that K-12 enrollment numbers were nearly 42,500 lower than predicted, with signs of continuing downward trends moving forward.—
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Researchers at the University of Manchester, led by Professor Thomas Anthopoulos, have successfully stabilized perovskite solar cells, which could help move the low-cost technology into the global mass market.—
Verb
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He's rubbed elbows with corporate executives who are interested in Pennsylvania as a data center destination and thrust Pennsylvania into competition for billions of dollars being spent on manufacturing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.—
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Eventually, he was thrust into a starting safety role during the 2021 playoffs due to injury.—
Verb
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During inquiries, the ICO found 178 active email accounts using passwords identical or similar to those set by the organization’s IT desk when the account was activated.—
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
Cite this Entry
“Propel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propel. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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