propulsive

adjective

pro·​pul·​sive prə-ˈpəl-siv 

: tending or having power to propel

propulsive force

Examples of propulsive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That parallel is usually illustrated through intercut scenes held together by propulsive string music from The Newton Brothers — blunt, maybe, but also extremely satisfying (and right out of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy playbook). —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025

The film deals with prejudice by folding it into a propulsive chase movie, letting the politics serve the narrative and not the other way around. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025

But propulsive, lightweight shoes that are meant for picking up speed can be fun to run in, and if another pair is in your budget, Corkum recommends adding one to your rotation. —Lauren Wingenroth, SELF, 3 Mar. 2025

And then that propulsive lead-up to the movie’s two-minute drive to intermission. —Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin prōpulsus, past participle of prōpellere "to push or thrust forward, compel to go onward" + -ive — more at propel

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for propulsive

• compulsive
• convulsive
• expulsive
• impulsive
• repulsive
• electroconvulsive