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
The humorous contrast between his calm expression and his awkward position is what helped propel the clip across social media.
—
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Davines has taken an opposite approach, using services to help propel in-salon sales.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2026
Their docking target will be the ICPS, or the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, the upper segment of the rocket that propelled Orion on its journey in space.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
This restructuring is further propelled by direct funding relationships, corporate partnerships, and platform dependencies involving Big Tech companies.
—Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propel
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Davines has taken an opposite approach, using services to help propel in-salon sales.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2026
Their docking target will be the ICPS, or the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, the upper segment of the rocket that propelled Orion on its journey in space.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
This restructuring is further propelled by direct funding relationships, corporate partnerships, and platform dependencies involving Big Tech companies.
—Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for propel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propel
Verb
-
The Knicks were able to close the gap behind 17 first-quarter points from Brunson but Charlotte took command late in the second quarter and pushed the lead to 10 at halftime with a series of 3s from Knueppel, Ball and Miller.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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That pushed him over the threshold of 250 made 3-pointers this season, making Knueppel the lone player in NBA history age 22 or younger to connect on that many.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The decision to inaugurate the first urban Six Senses property in Rome was partially driven by the owner’s love of all things Italian and is part of a new drive to bring sanctuaries to bigger cities.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Objects that are outdoors should be secured and caution should be taken if driving.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If unhelpful naysayers shove their preferences onto you, just brush them off.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
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With Dylan Larkin in the box, Noah Cates put the Flyers ahead by three goals by shoving a loose puck over the goal line on the power play with less than four minutes to play in the second.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Records show frequent transfers—sometimes in rapid succession—moving funds from TourProdEnter to the Florida LLCs, and in some instances continuing even after a company had been formally dissolved.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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But their discharge petition, introduced last week, is short of the 218 signatures needed to move forward.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The result puts Tony on the radar of Scotland Yard’s Inspector Hubbard (Nick Mandracchia), and immediately thrusts Tony into a defensive posture.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The story follows ‘Diamond’ Derek Douglas, a wildcard boxing contender unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight just days before a high-stakes title fight.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The lefty underwent an elbow cleanup procedure at the start of the offseason; the Yankees hope to activate him sometime in April.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Like a grill, when activated by an operator, the drone stations open a lid.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Propel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propel. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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