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.
Jet propulsion and a reconfigured airframe make the latest-version Gerans act more like cruise missiles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
However, the efficiency of the propulsion system drops substantially.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026
When Starlink satellites need to shift position, they can do so autonomously, using an onboard propulsion system and avoidance software.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Its main business is electric propulsion systems for aircraft.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Five women were accepted for cosmonaut training—two from flying clubs, two parachutists, and a rocket propulsion engineer.
From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson
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.
