Propel
Propel verb - To apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one.
Usage example: playfully he propelled his rambunctious friend into the swimming pool to cool off
Thrust is a synonym for propel in throw topic. In some cases you can use "Thrust" instead a verb "Propel", when it comes to topics like move, drive, send forth. popular alternative
Nearby Words: propelled, propelling
Thrust
Thrust verb - To apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one.
Usage example: the cat thrust her paw under the couch, trying to reach her toy mouse
Propel is a synonym for thrust in move topic. You can use "Propel" instead a verb "Thrust", if it concerns topics such as shove, send forth, push hard. popular alternative
Nearby Word: thrusting
Mutual synonyms
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
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Artificial Gravity: Used by the starships to propel themselves and to protect their occupants from the crushing force of their thrust.
Source: Literature / House of Suns -
On the other hand, the much stronger thrust needed to propel the multi-ton head sufficiently far enough away from the possibly exploding mech to be safe means that there's a much higher risk of the pilot sustaining serious injury.
Source: Ejection Seat -
As such, it is primarily driven by implied constraints of thrust, mass and budget (even though the very ability to construct and propel massive ships would imply that these constraints no longer apply as severely).
Source: Standard Human Spaceship
Cite this Source
Thrust and Propel. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/propel/thrust
Propel & Thrust. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/propel/thrust>.
Thrust or Propel. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/propel/thrust.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "propel" and "thrust" have occurred on timeline