propel
Americanverb (used with object)
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propels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
propelled,
past participle, past
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propelling
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
propelsimple
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propelssimple
-
have propelledperfect
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has propelledperfect
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am propellingprogressive
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are propellingprogressive
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is propellingprogressive
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have been propellingperfect progressive
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has been propellingperfect progressive
Past
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propelledsimple
-
had propelledperfect
-
was propellingprogressive
-
were propellingprogressive
-
had been propellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of propel
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English propellen “to expel,” from Latin prōpellere “to drive forward,” from prō- pro- 1 + pellere “to drive, push, strike”
Explanation
To propel is to push or drive forward, like a sheep dog nipping at the heels of his flock to keep them moving. When you hear the verb propel, imagine the propeller on an airplane — that spinning thing on the front that pulls the plane forward. Or maybe think of the old proverb that goes, “Our passions are the winds that propel our vessel. Our reason is the pilot that steers her. Without winds the vessel would not move and without a pilot she would be lost.”
Vocabulary lists containing propel
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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Maniac Magee
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Lead author and sport and exercise technology expert Dr. Cody Lindsay says the ankle is essential for maintaining balance while also helping propel the body forward.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
Super Micro had said in a preliminary report last month that it saw new orders reach more than $60 billion in the June quarter, helping propel its backlog to record levels for fiscal 2026.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Their nickname comes from the small stiff sail which they use to catch the wind and propel them along an ocean's surface.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Others, like IBM, Salesforce and McKinsey have doubled down on entry-level hiring, arguing that AI-native workers can help propel the company forward.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
It had two legs near the front of its long, snakelike body, and it used them to propel itself around the barn in pursuit of the feline house spirit.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
He might look intimidating, but his smile and willingness to participate in school gatherings propels others to immediately embrace him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
"It certainly propels you into a world of uncertainty. Life priorities realign - you simply want to survive."
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
From a tour that, according to Springsteen, was not planned, it will be interesting to see what direction this propels him in next.
From Salon ● May 28, 2026
SpaceX’s Starship is designed to be the most powerful rocket ever built, consisting of a booster that propels a large spacecraft into space.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
What has happened will be a wind to fight against and a force that propels; it will be a guiding light in the blizzard, it will be a wrong turn.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
That object was later identified as part of China’s Long March 3C rocket, which propelled the Chang’e 5-T1 mission around the moon in 2014.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
The character has propelled box-office hits since 2002’s “Spider-Man,” directed by Sam Raimi, set the template for the modern superhero blockbuster.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Shein became a fast-fashion powerhouse in just a few short years, propelled by its competitively priced, trend-driven clothing that has been hugely popular among younger, price-conscious consumers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
But she had not had a bold epiphany and there was no cause; it was simply that layer after layer of discontent had settled in her, and formed a mass that now propelled her.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Amazon gained 4.6% Monday, a day after its best single session in years, propelling the company to a $3 trillion market valuation for the first time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Ionescu scored 14 points in the first quarter, propelling the visitors to a 36-30 lead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Alibaba on Wednesday saw its best single share-price gain in 10 months, as the broader Chinese tech sector revved higher after missing the rally propelling U.S.,
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
So rising property values were propelling people into millionaire status.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Great squid propelling themselves over the floor of the sea in the cold darkness.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
