Synonym Chooser

How does the verb impel differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of impel are actuate, drive, and move. While all these words mean "to set or keep in motion," impel is usually figurative and suggests a great motivating impetus.

a candidate impelled by ambition

When is it sensible to use actuate instead of impel?

The synonyms actuate and impel are sometimes interchangeable, but actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion.

turbines actuated by waterpower

When is drive a more appropriate choice than impel?

Although the words drive and impel have much in common, drive implies imparting forward and continuous motion and often stresses the effect rather than the impetus.

a ship driven aground by hurricane winds

When would move be a good substitute for impel?

The words move and impel can be used in similar contexts, but move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position.

moved the furniture

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 impel But the 1933 Cuban Revolution impelled his family’s flight from the island, dashing Desi’s hopes of a legal career. Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 To do that, SoFi must be among the small number of public companies that continues to provide upbeat forecasts – as tariff uncertainty impels many public companies to stop offering guidance. Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 These are questions Li rarely directly poses but which the reader is inevitably impelled to ask. Daphne Merkin, New York Times, 18 May 2025 Powerful domestic pressures impel and constrain both countries’ foreign policy choices. Lee Hsien Loong, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2020 See All Example Sentences for impel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impel
Verb
  • That in turn drove low wages for workers, high staff turnover and limited capacity for children.
    Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
  • Generics have higher margins but are vulnerable to pricing shifts and require considerable volume to drive profits.
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • This fosters a competitive market where vendors are compelled to innovate on value, not by locking customers into their ecosystem.
    Rajat Bhargava, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • American filmmakers are mostly hostile to the technology, citing intellectual property theft, strained labor relations, and the environmental impact of data farms — while Chinese creatives have been compelled to embrace the speed and ease of AI for innovation.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • The implant was allegedly moved when Niven, 34, elbowed Nikki mid-fight.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
  • For business leaders, this means moving beyond departmental AI initiatives to embrace customer experience as your primary competitive battlefield.
    Nitin Badjatia, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • So far nothing is forcing the city to even help arrest immigrants, even if Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks. Ohio State Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) has introduced House Bill 26, which directs state and local authorities to assist ICE.
    Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 30 July 2025
  • In 2022, then-Land Commissioner George P. Bush forced Paxton into a runoff in his bid for a third term for attorney general.
    John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • Leo activates your solar 10th house, urging bold moves, leadership, and visibility.
    Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 24 July 2025
  • This induces a meditative, parasympathetic state—activating your body’s natural healing processes and reducing cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • The attention influencers and celebrities generate fuels this model, but rest assured, checks and balances coerce cooperation.
    Solo Ceesay, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2025
  • If Messi and teammate Jordi Alba skip the event and avoid immediate sanctions, as early reporting from ESPN suggests, what is to coerce Kylian Mbappe 10 years or Lamine Yamal 20 years from now in the twilight of their careers?
    Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Given their soaring popularity over the past three years, matching their Euro 2022 success on Sunday would propel them to another stratosphere.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 25 July 2025
  • Not surprisingly, Congress is pushing back against the Trump administration's proposal to cancel the Space Launch System, the behemoth rocket NASA has developed to propel astronauts back to the Moon.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • However, a driver is not legally obligated to submit to a field sobriety test, pre-arrest test or cheek swab at a DUI checkpoint, according to the Law Offices of Grech and Parker in Riverside. Field sobriety tests are subjective and may not accurately measure sobriety, according to Bee archives.
    Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2025
  • Serving as the unofficial GM of the team founded by Marc D’Amelio, Boatright, 32, told the FS2 announcers he was obligated to play through his twisted ankle and take the lead.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impel. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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