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Propel vs Impel - What's the difference?

propel | impel |

Impel is a synonym of propel.



As verbs the difference between propel and impel

is that propel is to cause to move in a certain direction while impel is to urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation (contrast with propel, to compel or drive extrinsically).

propel

English

Verb

  • To cause to move in a certain direction.
  • * 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Chapter V
  • When it had advanced from the wood, it hopped much after the fashion of a kangaroo, using its hind feet and tail to propel it, and when it stood erect, it sat upon its tail.
  • To make to arrive to a certain situation or result.
  • * 2005 , .
  • I can discern your nature and see that even without any arguments (logoi) from me it will propel you to what you say you are drawn towards,

    Synonyms

    * (either) drive, push

    Antonyms

    * (either) stay, halt, stop * (cause to move) rest

    Anagrams

    * ----

    impel

    English

    Verb

    (impell)
  • To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation (contrast with propel, to compel or drive extrinsically).
  • * , title=The Mirror and the Lamp
  • , chapter=2 citation , passage=She was a fat, round little woman, richly apparelled in velvet and lace, […]; and the way she laughed, cackling like a hen, the way she talked to the waiters and the maid, […]—all these unexpected phenomena impelled one to hysterical mirth, and made one class her with such immortally ludicrous types as Ally Sloper, the Widow Twankey, or Miss Moucher.}}
  • To drive forward; to propel an object.
  • Synonyms

    * (to drive forward) propel

    Antonyms

    * expel

    References

    * *