1
as in drives
to set or keep in motion
gasoline impels a car's engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in compels
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
I felt impelled to tell the truth, however painful it might be
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of impels
And so, our mission – grounded in both truth and love – impels us to discern the motives that shape events, and the shifts in thought that drive human progress through higher ideals of justice, mercy, and wisdom.
—
Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impels
Verb
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In confident markets, industrial demand drives silver’s price, Anya-Gafu says.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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Criminalizing hemp and marijuana drives the black market and helps the cartels, not the people.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The legal agreement also compels TCH to fire multiple physicians who performed these procedures, revoke their privileges, and never hire or credential such doctors.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
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The subpoena compels the NFL to produce extensive records dating back to 2020 (and earlier for some items) covering the Rooney Rule, the Offensive Assistant Mandate, Resolution JC-2A, the Accelerator Program and the Mackie Development Program.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Mercury enters Gemini and moves through your 3rd House of Communication, waking up conversations, messages, and the small decisions that shape your day.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
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Once the midweek cold front moves through, a better chance for more areas to see wet weather comes Wednesday afternoon.—
Rachael Jay,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Experts have described the phenomenon as an invisible crisis with long-term humanitarian consequences — there are few official figures on the number of displaced people, who have almost no resources to turn to once violence forces them to leave.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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Fighting battery fires Lead-acid batteries still dominate nearly 90 percent of UPS backup systems globally, but their low power density often forces operators to install oversized battery banks to meet sudden power demand.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Tonight the Aries Moon activates ambition, and a decision about visibility or leadership may suddenly feel obvious.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
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Leaning forward demands strength and stability in your core and lower back, while a rowing motion activates your shoulder, arm, and upper back muscles.—
Jenessa Connor,
Health,
11 May 2026
Verb
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However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Dec. 2025
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Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The rocker outsole propels feet forward, which comes in handy on long, technical trails, while a Gore-tex upper keeps water out during surprise spring showers.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
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The difference is that a healthy Eagles offensive line propels the running game in this matchup, while the passing game takes time to find its rhythm.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that obligates it not to enrich uranium for military purposes.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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The collective defense clause, if invoked by a member state, obligates all other members of the transatlantic alliance to treat an attack on one as an attack on all.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impels. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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