impel
American
verb
-
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
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impelssimple
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have impelledperfect
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has impelledperfect
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am impellingprogressive
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are impellingprogressive
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is impellingprogressive
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have been impellingperfect progressive
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has been impellingperfect progressive
Past
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impelledsimple
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had impelledperfect
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was impellingprogressive
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were impellingprogressive
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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
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"The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Mahatma Gandhi's "Quit India" Speech
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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:
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
Every time they fully engage with a feeling and choose functional behavior, they strengthen their emotional intelligence and make it more likely that that feeling won’t impel them toward unhealthy habits in the future.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 23, 2021
The letter, which confirms the breadth of opposition to the postponement of “Philip Guston Now,” should be enough to impel the four museums to reinstate the show.
From New York Times ● Sep. 30, 2020
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
It impels a creature who feels it to seek out much-needed water much more powerfully than any nonconscious mechanism could.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
What is it that impels Scarry to go there?
From Washington Post ● Sep. 2, 2022
Instead, she approaches the exercises to test her fitness with a guilelessness that at first confounds him — but that ultimately impels him to confront his own tumultuous existence.
From New York Times ● Aug. 3, 2021
Not just because it inspires, but also because it impels.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2018
It is incompatible with that spirit which impels them into action.
From The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. I. (of II) With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England; to which is added a Sketch of Paine by William Cobbett by Moncure Daniel Conway
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
He felt impelled to say something to ease the swelling in his chest.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
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
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