impel

IPA/ɪmˈpel/
KK[ˌɪmpˈɛl]IPA/ɪmˈpel/

impel — verb

  • impelpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • impelshe / she / it
  • impelledpast simple
  • impelling-ing form

1. to affect someone's feelings so powerfully that they feel an inner need to do so

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to affect someone's feelings so powerfully that they feel an inner need to do something they might not otherwise choose to do

例句

The documentary about poverty impelled Sophia to volunteer at a local shelter.

impel + person + to-infinitive

Minho felt impelled by his parents' sacrifice to work harder in all his classes.

passive: be impelled by + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • compel

    stronger than impel; 'compel' suggests irresistible force, often backed by authority or rules, whereas 'impel' is about internal motivation

  • drive

    more common and less formal; can be used for both internal and external pressure

  • motivate

    focuses on providing a reason to act rather than creating a sense of pressure

  • urge

    softer than impel; 'urge' suggests encouragement rather than a feeling of being forced

反義詞
  • discourage

    to make someone feel less willing to do something

  • deter

    to make someone decide not to do something, often through fear or doubt

文法句型

impel + person + to-infinitive

be impelled + to-infinitive

be impelled by + noun phrase + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive (be impelled). The subject is usually an abstract force such as guilt, conscience, duty, or curiosity, not a person giving an order.

常見錯誤

❌My mother impelled me to clean my room.
✅My mother urged me to clean my room.
💡'Impel' describes a strong internal or moral force, not a simple request from another person.
❌I was impelled to go to the party.
✅I felt impelled to go to the party.
💡The passive form 'be impelled' is common, but adding 'felt' before it is more natural when the force is internal.

2. to use physical power, such as wind, electricity, or a motor, to cause an object

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to use physical power, such as wind, electricity, or a motor, to cause an object to move in a specific direction

例句

A small electric motor impels the fan blades on hot summer afternoons.

impel + object + prepositional phrase (time/place)

The wind impels the sailboat forward across the calm water of the bay.

natural force as subject: wind impels + object forward

同義詞
  • propel

    more common and neutral; 'propel' is the everyday word for putting something in motion

  • push

    less formal; a general verb for applying force to move something away

  • drive

    can mean to push or carry something forward, especially a vehicle or natural force

反義詞
  • stop

    to cause something that is moving to no longer move

  • halt

    more formal than 'stop'; to bring a movement to a complete end

文法句型

impel + object + forward/onward

impel + object + prepositional phrase (across/through/up)

用法筆記

This physical sense is formal and literary; the more common word for physical motion is 'propel'. The subject is typically a mechanical force or natural element. The object is always followed by a directional word or phrase (forward, onward, across, through, downstream).

常見錯誤

❌The boat impelled across the lake.
✅The motor impelled the boat across the lake.
💡'Impel' is always transitive; you must state what is doing the pushing.
❌He impelled the cart.
✅He impelled the cart forward.
💡When used for physical motion, 'impel' needs a direction word (forward, onward, across, etc.).