Verb Movement or momentum; the outcome supplies the judgment
PropelMeaning, examples and usage
To propel is to push or drive something forward. It can describe physical movement or something that helps cause progress or change.
Say it: pruh-PEL · stress the second syllable
How to use propel
Name what provides the push and what moves as a result. A motor can propel a boat; a successful demonstration can propel a project into its next stage. In professional writing, the actual result is more informative than a general claim about “propelling success.” The past tense is propelled and the -ing form is propelling, both with two l letters.
Example sentences
Illustrative examples written for this guide.
Physical movement
“A small electric motor propels the model boat across the pond.”
The motor provides the force, and the boat is what moves.
Progress on a project
“The successful prototype propelled the project into its testing stage.”
The sentence names both the cause and the next step.
An outcome that is not positive
“A rushed decision propelled the team into a dispute over costs.”
Propel does not mean that the change was welcome or wise.
Similar words, different emphasis
- Push
- Often the simplest choice for a physical action or an effort to move work along.
- Motivate
- Focuses on giving a person a reason or willingness to act, rather than on the movement or result.
- Accelerate
- Emphasizes making something faster. Propel emphasizes the force or event that drives it onward.
How do you use propel in work or résumé writing?
Connect a specific action to an outcome you can support: “The revised booking process propelled the pilot into a second location.” If that sounds too grand for what happened, use “helped,” “enabled” or “moved.” Do not claim that your contribution caused a result you cannot explain.
References and editorial note
The linked dictionary entries support the word meanings. The example sentences and writing suggestions are Ikigain’s own. This is a language guide, not a personality assessment.