propulsion
Americannoun
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the act or process of propelling.
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the state of being propelled.
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a means of propelling; propelling force, impulse, etc.
noun
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the act of propelling or the state of being propelled
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a propelling force
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of propulsion
1605–15; < Latin prōpuls ( us ) (past participle of prōpellere to propel ) + -ion
Explanation
The act of moving something forward is called propulsion. Propulsion is the force that pushes a rocket into space, that sends a football spiraling toward a receiver's hands, and that moves a strongly kicking swimmer through the water. The noun propulsion came from the Latin prōpellere, "to push away." The modern meaning of propulsion meaning "the act of moving forward" was first recorded in 1799. In water, flippers, fins, and the wind can aid propulsion. In a general sense, if society is to move forward, we must stop using fossil fuels as our main means of propulsion.
Vocabulary lists containing propulsion
Power Prefix: pro
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Freak the Mighty
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The Wednesday Wars
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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.
The London-based business has designed a propulsion system it claims can reduce drone noise by at least two thirds.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Much of the body performs the powerful rotational movements needed for propulsion, while the head remains stabilized to support controlled travel.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
Safran SAF -3.79%decrease; down pointing triangle confirmed its full-year outlook after third-quarter revenue climbed on double-digit growth across its propulsion and equipment and defense units.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
“Successful orbital insertion burn. Starship is in orbit,” Jake Berkowitz, a SpaceX propulsion engineer, said on the company’s livestream.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
It had long been believed that a combination of solar wind and magnetic propulsion would be required to move about in space with any efficiency.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
