impelled

Impelled is the past participle of the verb impel, and it can also function as an adjective. The core meaning is to urge, drive, or force someone to take action, or to propel something forward. Impel can be used with to-infinitives or with a noun phrase indicating the motive or force behind the action. For example, a person may be impelled to speak out by a sense of justice, or a machine may be impelled forward by an engine.

Etymology and form: Impel derives from Latin impellere, from in- “toward,” plus pellere “to push.” The standard forms are impel (present), impelled (past tense and past participle), and impelling or impellingly in the present participle and adverbial use. As an adjective, impelled describes a source of motivation or force, as in “an impelled decision.”

Usage and nuance: Impel carries a sense of internal drive or external pressure that motivates action, but it is typically more formal and literary than common everyday speech. It contrasts with compel, which implies stronger external force or obligation, and with motivate, which is broader and often neutral or positive in tone. The phrase “impelled to” is common, as in “She was impelled to seek answers,” while “impelled by” signals the motive, e.g., “impelled by curiosity.”

See also: Impel, compelled, motivation, motive, impetus. Impelled can describe both human agency and physical propulsion, though the latter is less common in everyday usage.