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 spacecraft is in great shape, and we're on schedule to resume sustained thrusting with the solar-electric propulsion system later this fall."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
“It’s a night-and-day difference in propulsion and torque,” said Sisler, chief executive of street-cleaning company Sweeping Corporation of America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The spikes, designed to maximise his biomechanics, featured a carbon plate and aggressive rocker for propulsion, and titanium pins to keep the shoe light.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
But with that pro came a con -- at such an altitude, the device without its own propulsion would eventually drift closer to Earth and burn up in the atmosphere.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
“You know what I like about driving? The forward motion of it, the propulsion of it, like you might go anywhere.”
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
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.
