as in compelling
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in driving
to set or keep in motion
gasoline impels a car's engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forcing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
I felt impelled to tell the truth, however painful it might be
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impelling
Elizabeth Mata, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
This is a very forward-impelling perspective to come to.
—Elizabeth Mata, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impelling
Adjective
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
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Dollar General & National Vision Holdings Both retailers remain extremely compelling, according to Bank of America.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
Verb
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That’s when Angotti got going, driving a ball over the left-center-field fence.—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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These reforms stripped the dominant Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of its historical control of the regional government, driving it into active opposition.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Brith had swallowed, forcing down something hard in her throat.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Given that, the court concluded that forcing UCAR to give up its supercomputing center was arbitrary and capricious, and thus violated the Administrative Procedures Act.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Beverly Hills may be the most car-conscious and car-conspicuous neighborhood in Los Angeles.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Cases of domestic servitude are even less conspicuous.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Nippon Dynawave was cited for moving equipment involved before it could be inspected, but not for the incident itself, the news outlet reported.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit also claims officers choked Day and slammed him against a wall, eventually coercing him into confessing to killing Irving and Garcia.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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Prior to his 2011 conviction, Jeffs was charged and convicted of being an accomplice to rape in September 2007 after coercing a 14-year-old to marry her 19-year-old cousin, though the ruling was later overturned by the Utah Supreme Court over faulty jury instructions, according to CBS News.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In a striking shift, White voters without college degrees that voted to reelect Trump by a huge margin are now net-negative on his job approval.—
Hannah Knowles,
Washington Post,
28 May 2026
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Aversion The results revealed the striking impact of leadership.—
Melissa A. Wheeler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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By activating its regional proxy, the Houthis in Yemen, Iran could orchestrate the closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, blocking another vital artery connecting major trade routes between Europe, Asia and the Arab world.—
CNN Staff,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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That means activating our downtown with farmers markets, cultural events, outdoor gatherings, and community programming that gives residents a reason to be there.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impelling. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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