impel
Americanverb
-
to urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
-
to push, drive, or force into motion
Synonym Usage
See compel.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
impelsimple
-
impelssimple
-
have impelledperfect
-
has impelledperfect
-
am impellingprogressive
-
are impellingprogressive
-
is impellingprogressive
-
have been impellingperfect progressive
-
has been impellingperfect progressive
Past
-
impelledsimple
-
had impelledperfect
-
was impellingprogressive
-
were impellingprogressive
-
had been impellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of impel
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English impellen, from Latin impellere “to strike against, set in motion,” from im- im- 1 + pellere “to strike, move”; cf. pulse 1
Explanation
Impel means to force to move forward. A person sleep walking might move as if impelled by a force beyond their control. Loneliness might impel you to talk to someone you don't know. Impel derives from the Latin in- "toward" + pellere "to drive," which also brings us compel "to force" and propel "to drive forward." The boy was propelled by his fears, but when he said fear of bullies impelled him to stay home on Halloween, his mother compelled him to dress and go outside.
Vocabulary lists containing impel
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mahatma Gandhi's "Quit India" Speech
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Directly employing subcontractors could also impel Amazon to carry more expensive insurance coverage, which would raise delivery costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
John Bulkeley, the Wager’s gunner, a weapons expert and “instinctive leader” whose Bible-inspired narrative gifts would impel him to write an indelible account of events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2023
But Tuesday seemed to outdo them all and to impel our still-wintry Washington air into memorably vigorous motion.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2023
"Providing Ukraine even more arms may well produce the results its proponents anticipate. It could, on the other hand, impel Russian commanders to subject Ukrainians to even greater pain," Menon cautioned.
From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2022
He saw enough in her face to impel him to take her hand and hold it while he said his lingering good night “Will you go to the races again?” he asked.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
What is it that impels Scarry to go there?
From Washington Post ● Sep. 2, 2022
The inspiration gained from that view might carry us well beyond the statistical forecast that impels the fatalistic alternative.
From Scientific American ● May 12, 2021
Not just because it inspires, but also because it impels.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2018
As for Judith Light, who receives star billing, my belief in truth in advertising impels me to tell you that her scenery-chewing turn begins only after we’ve settled back into our seats after intermission.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2017
The law of nature impels every one to escape from confinement; he should not therefore be subjected to punishment.
From Thomas Jefferson The Apostle of Americanism by Gilbert Chinard
A sense of duty, rooted for many in a profound Christian faith, impelled each to take extraordinary risks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 19, 2025
What impelled him, and what does it mean?
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2025
At Lawson’s urging, they refused bail, which impelled hundreds of other students to join the crusade against segregated interstate travel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2024
His frustration and anger at the press, however, impelled him to buck convention by suing newspaper owners — allegedly against the wishes of his father, now King Charles III.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2023
A gradual rise in population densities impelled people to obtain more food, by rewarding those who unconsciously took steps toward producing it.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
For Emerson, Thoreau and James, Richardson tells us, it was as if their losses had marked their souls, altering their mind-sets and impelling them forward with different perspectives, and sometimes different directions, than before.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 26, 2023
One of the pleasures of writing for me is to discover what is it that is impelling me to engage with these characters.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 27, 2022
“Get at Me Dog” is an impelling and incendiary piece of music, like four minutes of a bomb going off.
From Slate ● Apr. 11, 2021
In a flash, rain poured and wind whipped at once, blowing trash onto the field and impelling a rapid response from the grounds crew.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2019
He was excited and something was impelling him to become more excited.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
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.
