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Impel vs Compel
Impel is very similar in meaning to compel, and often a perfect synonym, though it tends to suggest even more strongly an inner drive to do something and a greater urgency to act, especially for moral reasons. But when impel takes its noun and adjective forms, it changes slightly. So an impulse—such as "impulse buying", when you suddenly see something cool and know you've got to have it—often isn't based on anything very serious. And impulsive behavior in general, such as blurting out something stupid on the spur of the moment, is the kind of thing you're supposed to get over when you grow up.
Examples of impel in a Sentence
Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2024
When Instagram sends notifications about likes or worthwhile posts, people are impelled to open the app and start scrolling; when sports-betting apps send push alerts about fantastic parlays, people are coaxed into placing one more bet.
—Christine Emba, The Atlantic, 8 July 2024
Recent botanical research such as Clark’s impelled the foundation to expand into Centinela.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN, 13 June 2024
What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs?
—The Editors, National Review, 6 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for impel 
Dictionary Entries Near impel
Cite this Entry
“Impel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impel. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
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impel
verb
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