inform

¹ American  

[in-fawrm] / ɪnˈfɔrm /

verb (used with object)

1. to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to.

   He informed them of his arrival.

   Synonyms:

   tell, advise, notify, apprise

2. to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject.

   She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.

   Synonyms:

   acquaint

3. to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect.

   A love of nature informed his writing.

4. to animate or inspire.

5. Obsolete.

   1. to train or instruct.

   2. to make known; disclose.

   3. to give or impart form to.

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verb (used without object)

1. to give information; supply knowledge or enlightenment.

   a magazine that entertains more than it informs.

verb phrase

1. inform on to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc..

   He informed on his accomplices.

inform ² American  

[in-fawrm] / ɪnˈfɔrm /

adjective

Obsolete.

1. without form; formless.

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inform ¹ British  

/ ɪnˈfɔːm, ɪnˈfɔːmɪdlɪ /

verb

1. (tr; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell

2. (tr; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)

3. (intr; often foll by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc

4. to give form to

5. to impart some essential or formative characteristic to

6. (tr) to animate or inspire

7. obsolete (tr)

   1. to train or educate

   2. to report

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inform ² British  

/ ɪnˈfɔːm /

adjective

1. archaic without shape; unformed

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Other Word Forms

• half-informing adjective
• half-informingly adverb
• informable adjective
• informedly adverb
• informingly adverb
• uninforming adjective

Etymology

Origin of inform¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English enfo(u)rmen, informen, from Old French enfo(u)rmer, from Latin infōrmāre “to form, shape,” equivalent to in- in- ² + fōrmāre “to form ”

Origin of inform²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin informis “formless, deformed,” equivalent to in- in- ³ + -formis -form

Example Sentences

FDEs are tasked with helping customers deploy agentic AI and using their experiences to inform platform innovation, ServiceNow shared with MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

According to the documents, Kerri’s family tried to reach Michael the night she died to inform him of her death, but could not reach him.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

In a market where conditions can shift quickly—especially now, as the war in Iran continues—revisiting past calls helps separate skill from timing and highlights patterns that may inform future decisions.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

The goal is to better inform both healthcare practices and public health strategies.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

To police the townships, the government relied on its network of impipis, the anonymous snitches who’d inform on suspicious activity.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Related Words

• advise
• apprise
• brief
• caution
• educate
• instruct
• notify
• tell
• update
• warn