PROPELLED Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

propelled

verb

past tense of propel

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

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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 Beijing — Zhu Rongji, the steely former Chinese premier whose bold economic reforms propelled the country’s rise as a global powerhouse, has died. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 The film propelled Brigitte Bardot to international stardom and Saint-Tropez, the location of the movie, became the seductive new playground of the jet set — a reputation that still holds today. — Kissa Castaneda, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Jackie and her mate, Shadow, were propelled to celebrity status through a livestream of their nest perched high up in a pine tree overlooking Big Bear Lake. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 Meta billionaire Mark Zuckerberg is the owner of a two-year-old mega-yacht called Launchpad that is 387 feet long, has a steel hull and is propelled by four engines capable of generating 5,846 horsepower apiece. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026 Extraction propelled by a global financial system that demands perpetual growth, even unto infinity? — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 The by-election has propelled Binface to national prominence – and a frenetic schedule. — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026 In a year where voters upset with the Democratic Party mainstream have propelled outsider candidates to victory across the country, Crowley is hoping to buck the trend in Wisconsin. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 The growth was particularly propelled by an increase in streaming customers and price hikes as well as an increase in advertising revenue. — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for propelled

Verb

That trial is scheduled to begin next month, but could be pushed back or canceled altogether depending on what the judge decides.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
In the past week, the administration has pushed back against the narrative that Iran has virtually shut down the critical choke point with the threat of missiles and drones.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of pushed

Verb

The Lions drove to the Bengals 33 on the first series before Jordan Battle picked off Altmyer at the 25 after the pass went off the hands of wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa.

— CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
And high costs and risky conditions along the route had already complicated Putin’s vision – even before Russia’s war against Ukraine drove international players from its Arctic territory.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of drove

Verb

Nashville then moved two goals clear in the 56th minute when Cristian Espinoza sent a pass across toward the near post and Surridge converted nonchalantly with a beautiful heel flick.

— Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Olivia Colman’s first standout work that moved her from sketch comedy to dramatic feature film was Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of moved

Verb

What to read next There, her parents are transformed into pigs and Chihiro is thrust into a vibrant but terrifying underworld.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 14 Aug. 2026
Hollywood thrust him onto the global stage as the star of Free Willy, sparking a worldwide animal rights movement.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of thrust

Verb

When activated, this mode will automatically take a video and a high-quality still photo at the right moment, leveraging the phone’s image processing to crop and remove blur.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
If it's not already activated, turn it on by going into Settings, General, and Keyboard, and toggle on Slide to Type.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of activated

Verb

Our purpose in glorifying Him – our responsiveness to Him – is as God-impelled and empowered as is His responsibility to us.

— Judith Hardy Olson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2026
Sometimes the ideological passions that impelled a work into existence dissolve over time, leaving behind something that can be appreciated as art.

— Vivian Yee, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Definition of impelled

Browse Nearby Words

propellants

propelled

propelling

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“Propelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propelled. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of propelled

verb

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