impelled
impelled — verb
- impelledpresent simple I / you / we / they
- impelleds3rd person singular
- impelleding-ing form
- impellededpast simple
1. to create a strong inner pressure that drives someone to do something they belie
to create a strong inner pressure that drives someone to do something they believe is necessary or right, especially when their conscience or sense of duty is involved
Ravindra felt impelled by his conscience to return the wallet to its owner.
passive: be impelled by [conscience] to [action]
What impelled Quinn to leave her office job and buy a farm in the hills?
question form: what impelled [someone] to [do]?
The documentary about ocean pollution impelled the whole class to organize a beach cleanup.
Gratitude impelled Megan to write a long letter to her former teacher.
Karim was impelled by the refugee crisis to volunteer at the aid center every weekend.
- compel
stronger and more external — suggests force, authority, or legal obligation rather than inner conviction
- drive
more general and neutral — can refer to any strong motivation, physical or emotional, without the formal or moral tone
- motivate
more positive and gentle — suggests encouragement or inspiration rather than pressing inner pressure
- urge
more active — someone directly tries to persuade, whereas impel is a force felt internally
- discourage
to make someone less willing to act, the opposite of creating inner pressure to act
- deter
to dissuade someone through fear or doubt, counteracting the force of impelling
文法句型
impel + object + to-infinitive
be impelled by + noun phrase + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Commonly used in passive construction (be impelled by [something] to [do something]). The subject of the impelling force is typically an abstract noun such as conscience, duty, gratitude, or a sense of justice — not a person giving a direct order.