impels

Impel is a transitive verb meaning to drive, urge, or motivate someone to take action; it can also mean to propel something physically. The third-person singular present form is impels, as in "Her concern for the vulnerable impels her activism." The past tense is impelled and the present participle impelling.

Etymology: from Latin impellere "to drive forward toward," from in- "toward" + pellere "to push." The term appears in English from the early modern period, often in formal or literary contexts.

Usage notes: Impel conveys impetus or inner motivation rather than external coercion. It is more formal than "urge" or "motivate" and lighter than "compel." In physical contexts, it can describe a force causing motion, e.g., "the engine impels the wheels."

Synonyms and related terms include urge, propel, drive, and motivate. The word is commonly used in both everyday and academic discourse to express a detectable drive or motive behind an action.