Synonyms of impel
52 similar words · 47 opposite words
Another word for impel is encourage. Other synonyms of impel are push, urge, stimulate, motivate and promote. The opposite of impel is propel.
Synonyms and similar words for impel
verbTo urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
- actuateTo incite to action; to motivate.
- motivateTo provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage; to actuate.
- goose
- fuel
- light a fire underTo motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.
- send
- sting
- bring aboutTo cause to take place.
- drawTo attract or provoke (a particular reaction or response) from someone.
- driveTo motivate; to provide an incentive for.
- encourageTo mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
- egg onTo encourage or coax (a person) to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.
- engenderTo bring into existence (a situation, quality, result etc.); to give rise to, cause, create.
- evokeTo elicit a response.
- exciteTo arouse or bring out (e.g. feelings); to stimulate.
- fomentTo incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
- goadTo incite or provoke.
- ignite figurativelyTo spark off (something), to trigger.
- incite
- induceTo cause, bring about, lead to.
- inflame figurativelyTo excite or intensify (a feeling, such as an appetite or passion), especially to an excessive or unnatural level.
- instigateTo goad or urge (a person) forward, especially to wicked actions.
- invokeTo bring about as an inevitable consequence.
- lash
- motiveTo prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
- obligate
- oblige
- pushTo continually attempt to persuade (a person) into a particular course of action.
- promoteTo encourage, urge or incite.
- promptTo initiate; to cause or lead to.
- provokeTo bring about a reaction.
- rouseTo provoke (someone) to react (for example, in anger or annoyance); to spur; also, to annoy, to tease.
- set offTo begin; to cause; to initiate.
- spark offTo initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.
- spurTo urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object.
- spur onTo spur or urge (someone) to do something.
- stimulateTo encourage into action.
- stirTo incite to action.
- stir upTo arouse or excite (passion or action, etc.).
- stoke figuratively
- temptTo provoke something; to court.
- urgeTo press; to push; to drive; to impel; to force onward.
- whip upTo arouse or excite.
- abet obsoleteTo urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable.
- cheer obsoleteTo encourage to do something.
- grill Scotland, USTo make angry; provoke; offend, incite.
- move obsoleteTo cause to change place or posture in any manner; to set in motion; to carry, convey, draw, or push from one place to...
- whet obsoleteTo inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.).
Opposite of impel
verbTo urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
- propelTo provide an impetus for motion or physical action; to cause to move in a certain direction; to drive or push forward.
verbTo drive forward; to propel an object, to provide an impetus for motion or action.
- restrain
- retard
- behedge
- blunt
- crimp
- foreclose formal
- delay
- diminish
- forestay
- retroact
- interfere
- intervene
- forslow
- frustrate
- get in the wayTo obstruct, hinder, or interfere.
- hamper
- dash
- handicap
- hinder
- hold up
- hurt
- impair
- impedeTo get in the way of; to hinder.
- incommode
- lessen
- let
- marTo spoil; to ruin; to scathe; to damage.
- obstruct
- overslaugh US, dialectalTo hinder or stop, as by an overslaugh or impediment.
- precludeTo remove the possibility of; to rule out; to prevent or exclude; to render impossible.
- prevent
- prohibitTo forbid, disallow, or proscribe officially; to make illegal or illicit.
- reduce
- restrict
- slow down
- stay
- stymie
- thwart
- thwartenTo be positioned contrary to; be set against; oppose; hinder.
- umbeset
- undermine
- weaken
- worsen
- difficult obsoleteTo make difficult, hinder; to impede; to perplex.
- prevene obsolete
verbMore antonyms
Meaning of impel
- verb To urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
- verb To drive forward; to propel an object, to provide an impetus for motion or action.
impel in other languages
Questions about synonyms of impel
- What is another word for impel?
- Impel has 52 synonyms on Word.ws, such as encourage, push, urge, stimulate, motivate, promote, spur and induce.
- What is the opposite of impel?
- The opposite of impel is propel. Other antonyms of impel are mar, prohibit, impede, preclude and let.
- What does impel mean?
- Impel means to urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: impel (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of impel.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/impel. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.