verb
Other Word Forms
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.
Strong tech earnings helped propel stocks higher on Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
Gains for semis have largely helped propel major indexes higher over the past month.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
“The combination of improving Iran headlines, investor exhaustion over the volatility in March, and a strong start to earnings season has helped to propel stocks to record highs,” he added.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
Instead he chose a £15m homecoming, looking to propel Kevin Keegan's Toon outfit from runners-up to title winners.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Carmen tells us to turn onto our stomachs, and she holds our bellies up in the water as we make our first efforts to kick our feet and propel ourselves forward with our arms.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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.
