Today's Wordle Answer #557 - December 28, 2022 Solution And Hints

We hope you've been able to make it to your holiday destinations without delay, but if you happen to be stuck in an airport or train terminal somewhere, perhaps a good Wordle try can help pass the time. Today's Wordle puzzle (#557 – December 28, 2022) almost struck us out completely. Unlike yesterday's Wordle answer, we needed all six tries to guess a word we'd classify as criminally uncommon.

Here are some spoiler-free hints to get you started. Today's answer is a verb that starts with the vowel "I." There are no repeating letters, and it's a homophone of a word that means to pierce or transfix with a sharp instrument.

This word also rhymes with and is sometimes used interchangeably with the word "compel." As in, we compel you to read ahead if you're still struggling as much as we did to solve this Wordle puzzle. Join us in the next section for the full answer.

There's no shame if you need a little help: the answer for today's Wordle (#557) is the verb "impel." It's close to the word "compel," both phonetically and in meaning — a bonafide synonym, according to the Merriam-Webster definition. To impel is to "to urge or drive forward, or on by or as if by the exertion of strong moral pressure." In comparison, to compel is to "to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly." It's splitting hairs, to some extent, so you'll probably end up using whichever word you want.

Impel derives from the Latin "impellere," which means "to push, strike against; set in motion, drive forward, urge on," according to the Etymonline. The root suffix Proto-Indo-European "pel" means to thrust, strike, or drive.

You'd be forgiven for thinking it's interchangeable with its homophone "impale," considering that action also typically requires some sort of driving or thrusting force. But from an etymological and literal sense, that word specifically relates to the usage of a physical stake. Confusing, we know, but that's what you get with this lovely evolving language. That being said, if "impel" was not enough of a challenge or you just need to kill some more time, there are other Wordle-like games worth trying as well.