1
as in pushed
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
Relevance
2
as in drove
to set or keep in motion
the aircraft is propelled by a pair of turboprop engines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of propelled
Elsewhere, Barb’s three-minute figures showed that Netflix had its best month on record in December, no doubt propelled by the final season of Stranger Things, which was released in three instalments.
—
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
But the sleekness, the coy refusal to play the big and obvious dress game, propelled the look into a new definition of cool.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Anything not propelled by the foot, Basham, said is off limits.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Jan. 2026
His latest clutch throw propelled the Chicago Bears to yet another improbable comeback win and kept their breakout season going for at least another round of the postseason.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Hunter Erickson’s 15-foot fadeaway jumper at time expired propelled Hawaii to a 67-66 victory over UC Irvine on Saturday night at the Stan Sheriff Center, handing the Anteaters their first loss in conference play and snapping their five-game winning streak.
—Oc Register, 11 Jan. 2026
The benefits are propelled thanks to a patented Hydroxysome Adenosine dermal delivery system, which basically allows the anti-aging actives to penetrate deeper into skin.
—Eva Thomas, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
The pair is swept up in White House intrigue, propelled by a potboiler narrative about a terrorist attack on a British aircraft carrier.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 29 Dec. 2025
This one propelled the team to a win.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propelled
Verb
-
DeSantis, a Republican, has prioritized Everglades restoration and pushed to expedite the reservoir’s construction during his two terms in office.—
-
Erik Karlsson pushed his career-best home points streak to nine games with a goal, while Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte also scored for Pittsburgh.—
Verb
-
The process is called cabotage and the merchants who plied the shores of the Mediterranean not only drove trade, but also increased interactions between cultures.—
-
Jake Davis made a 3-pointer, and Wagler drove inside for a three-point play.—
Verb
-
In at least some of the assaults on federal officers, people have shoved them or thrown objects.—
-
Spurs forward Julian Champagnie immediately shoved Vanderbilt as Fox remained between the players, trying to keep them separated.—
Verb
-
In an interview with KSL in May 2025, Sha compared learning Braille to learning English when his family moved from Myanmar to the United States.—
-
Engineers carried out multiple trajectory adjustments as the spacecraft moved farther from Earth.—
Verb
-
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.—
-
Eventually, he was thrust into a starting safety role during the 2021 playoffs due to injury.—
Verb
-
During this cruise phase, the team activated and tested the onboard instruments.—
-
Some models may also feature a steam clean setting that can be activated after every use to prevent a starch buildup.—
Verb
-
Daniel’s commercial failure as a novelist impelled him to move to Los Angeles to try writing for the movies.—
-
While the recent protests were sparked by the social media ban, protesters said that they had been impelled by years of government corruption and failure to provide young people with economic opportunities.—
Cite this Entry
“Propelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propelled. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
