Standard Lemma guide

impel

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation, US: /ɪmˈpɛl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛl
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 M P EH1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: actuate, motivate, abet, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send, sting, bring about, cheer, draw, drive, encourage, egg on, engender, evoke, excite, foment, goad, grill, ignite, impel, incite, induce, inflame, instigate, invoke, lash, motive, move, obligate, oblige, push, promote, prompt, provoke, rouse, set off, spark off, spur, spur on, stimulate, stir, stir up, stoke, tempt, urge, whet, whip up

Antonyms: propel

2

verb

Meaning 2

To drive forward; to propel an object, to provide an impetus for motion or action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The wind impelled the kayaks toward the shore.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drive, press, propel, push, shove, thrutch

Antonyms: restrain, retard, behedge, blunt, crimp, delay, difficult, diminish, forestay, interfere, intervene, forslow, frustrate, get in the way, hamper, handicap, hinder, hold up, hurt, impair, impede, incommode, lessen, let, mar, obstruct, overslaugh, preclude, prevene, prevent, prohibit, reduce, restrict, slow down, stay, stymie, thwart, thwarten, umbeset, undermine, weaken, worsen

3

verb

Meaning 3

cause to move forward with force

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Steam propels this ship

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: propel

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

Narrower terms: flip, rocket, carry, kick, punt, pole, hit, throw, drive, launch, catapult, project, send off, loft

4

verb

Meaning 4

urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: force

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cause, do, make

History

Etymology

From Middle English impellen, borrowed from Latin impellō.

Across languages

Translations

46 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: sövq etmək — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Azerbaijani: vadar etmək — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Bulgarian: подтиквам (podtikvam) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Bulgarian: подбуждам (podbuždam) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 促使 (cù shǐ) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Dutch: aanzetten — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Esperanto: motivigi — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • French: motiver — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • French: inciter — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • French: pousser — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • German: antreiben — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • German: vorantreiben — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • German: treiben — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • German: nötigen — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Ancient Greek: προτρέπω (protrépō) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Hungarian: késztet — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Latin: impellō — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Persian: واداشتن (vâdâštan) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Portuguese: impelir — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Quechua: tanqay — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Romanian: motiva — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Romanian: impulsiona — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Russian: побужда́ть (pobuždátʹ) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Sanskrit: सुवति (suvati) — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Serbo-Croatian: sȉliti — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Spanish: impeler — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Spanish: impulsar — To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation
  • Bulgarian: движа (dviža) — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Bulgarian: тласкам (tlaskam) — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Bulgarian: задвижвам (zadvižvam) — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Dutch: voortdrijven — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Esperanto: peli — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Esperanto: antaŭenigi — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • French: propulser — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • French: éjecter — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • French: pousser — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Hungarian: tol — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Latin: impellō — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Māori: whakawhana — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Māori: whakanekeneke — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Māori: torohaki — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Romanian: propulsa — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Russian: приводи́ть в движе́ние (privodítʹ v dvižénije) — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Sanskrit: सुवति (suvati) — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Spanish: impeler — To drive forward; to propel an object
  • Swedish: framdriva — To drive forward; to propel an object