IMPELLED Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

impelled

verb

past tense of impel

as in drove

to set or keep in motion gasoline impels a car's engine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in compelled

to cause (a person) to give in to pressure I felt impelled to tell the truth, however painful it might be

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Recent Examples of impelled Some fifteen years later, her determination to study Schubert lieder with expert teachers was in large part what impelled her to go to Europe. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 Despite the challenges, many candidates are impelled by the desire to steer political discourse toward civility and issues that matter most to ordinary citizens. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026 His experience impelled him to join an informal yet determined community of researchers, doctors, and patients pushing for extra studies to help patients and doctors find the right dosage for an array of cancer drugs. — CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 Sometimes the ideological passions that impelled a work into existence dissolve over time, leaving behind something that can be appreciated as art. — Vivian Yee, New York Times, 20 June 2026 That emotional closeness was one of the driving forces that impelled me to bring this project to the screen in an exercise of deep respect for a complex memory that does not lend itself to simplification. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 19 June 2026 Both were impelled to launch ninth-inning pushes to persuade Oscar voters that Shakespeare wasn’t really in love and Private Ryan needed serious saving. — Peter Bart, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026 Daniel’s commercial failure as a novelist impelled him to move to Los Angeles to try writing for the movies. — David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025 While the recent protests were sparked by the social media ban, protesters said that they had been impelled by years of government corruption and failure to provide young people with economic opportunities. — Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impelled

Verb

The individual who inflicted the fatal injury drove the spear downward through the victim’s left chest cavity from the front, piercing major arteries and the lungs before creating the hole in the left scapula.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
Ohtani drove the Struggle Bus into Game 3, having struck out seven times in 20 playoff at-bats, with only three singles and no extra-base hits and no RBIs.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of drove

Verb

Her mother, Betsy Lopez, spoke to CBS News Sacramento in June and said she was compelled to advocate for safer streets after her daughter's death.

— Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
To read even a downmarket newspaper, especially one from the mid-twentieth century before newspapers were compelled to compete with TV, is often to be surprised at the serious-mindedness of its journalism.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of compelled

Verb

In the southern port city of Marseille, some shops and a municipal police station were damaged, while protesters briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Performers weren’t spared either, with several forced to perform in the rain without covering for both artists and their equipment.

— Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of forced

Verb

With a new Swiss manufacture in the works and Vanguart’s first decade on the horizon, there is a definite sense that the house is tapping into an irresistible horological energy, propelled forward by a passionate customer base.

— Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 18 Oct. 2026
The Guardians have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Petey Halpin’s two-run homer propelled them to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon.

— Joe Reedy, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of propelled

Verb

Doe alleges in her lawsuit that she was coerced into using drugs before the assault.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
They were coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement that prevented them from ever exposing the details of what happened, and at whose hands.

— Gretchen Carlson, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of coerced

Verb

Federal immigration officials need to ensure that body cameras worn by officers are uniformly activated when needed, a government report released Wednesday said, following a series of contentious shootings and aggressive arrests by ICE officers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
The carrier is expected to hold NATO command ship responsibilities until mid-2027, positioning it to lead a multinational naval force if activated during an international crisis.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of activated

Verb

That should come as no surprise; NASA is, after all, part of the executive branch, and the agency is obliged to abide by executive orders.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
On his way out, Council obliged Stokes’ request and let out a few barks of his own.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of obliged

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“Impelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impelled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of impelled

verb

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