propulsive

adjective

pro·​pul·​sive prə-ˈpəl-siv How to pronounce propulsive (audio)
: tending or having power to propel
propulsive force

Examples of propulsive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sound waves have previously been used to levitate objects in mid-air, but the EPFL team wanted to convert sound into propulsive force. — ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 The number of people confirmed killed after propulsive landslides tore through the Nepal-China border on Wednesday now exceeds 900. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026 But in Meriwether’s hands, the show became a propulsive exploration of both women’s trauma and the misogynistic criminal justice system that’s unfit to deal with it. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026 Her airy timbre became synonymous with the group’s breezy sound, floating above Mendes’s central piano, French horn, and jazzy, propulsive rhythms. — Air Mail, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for propulsive

Word History

Etymology

Latin prōpulsus, past participle of prōpellere "to push or thrust forward, compel to go onward" + -ive — more at propel

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of propulsive was in 1648

Rhymes for propulsive

See All Rhymes for propulsive

Browse Nearby Words

propulsion
propulsive
propulsive coefficient
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Cite this Entry

“Propulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propulsive. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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