inspire

[ in-spahyuhr ]

verb (used with object)

, in·spired, in·spir·ing.

1. to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence:

   His courage inspired his followers.

2. to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.):

   to inspire confidence in others.

3. to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.:

   to inspire a person with distrust.

4. to influence or impel:

   Competition inspired her to greater efforts.

5. to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does:

   They were inspired by a belief in a better future.

6. to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence:

   writings inspired by God.

7. to guide or control by divine influence.
8. to prompt or instigate (utterances, acts, etc.) by influence, without avowal of responsibility.
9. to give rise to, bring about, cause, etc.:

   a philosophy that inspired a revolution.

10. to take (air, gases, etc.) into the lungs in breathing; inhale.
11. Archaic.
    1. to infuse (breath, life, etc.) by breathing (usually followed by into ).
    2. to breathe into or upon.

verb (used without object)

, in·spired, in·spir·ing.

1. to give inspiration.
2. to inhale.

inspire

/ ɪnˈspaɪə /

verb

1. to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon (a person); animate or invigorate
2. tr; foll by with or to; may take an infinitive to arouse (with a particular emotion or to a particular action); stir
3. tr to prompt or instigate; give rise to

   her beauty inspired his love

4. tr; often passive to guide or arouse by divine influence or inspiration
5. to take or draw (air, gas, etc) into the lungs; inhale
6. archaic.
   tr
   1. to breathe into or upon
   2. to breathe life into

Derived Forms

• inˈspirative, adjective
• inˈspiringly, adverb
• inˈspirer, noun
• inˈspirable, adjective

Other Words From

• in·spir·a·tive [in-, spahyuhr, -, uh, -tiv, in, -spi-rey-tiv], adjective
• in·spirer noun
• in·spiring·ly adverb
• prein·spire verb (used with object) preinspired preinspiring
• pseudo·in·spiring adjective
• rein·spire verb reinspired reinspiring
• unin·spiring adjective
• unin·spiring·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of inspire¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English inspiren, from Latin inspīrāre “to breathe upon, breathe into,” equivalent to in- in- ²( def ) + spīrāre “to breathe”

Word History and Origins

Origin of inspire¹

C14 (in the sense: to breathe upon, blow into): from Latin inspīrāre, from spīrāre to breathe

Example Sentences

Such chaos is bad for democracy, but it does inspire wickedly funny memes, hashtags, sketches and political satire.

From Los Angeles Times

Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation said he had wanted his private collection to be used to inform and inspire people.

From BBC

The foundation said Sir Percival wanted his private collection to be on public display to inspire and educate future generations.

From BBC

Watching footage of Earth orbits from the ISS helped inspire the book, Harvey told NPR, including the 16 sunsets and sunrises the astronauts in her book experience over the day she writes about.

From Los Angeles Times

"There are going to be so many people watching. I have a chance to inspire people to showcase women’s boxing at its very best," she says.

From BBC

Related Words

• affect
• animate
• arouse
• cause
• embolden
• excite
• galvanize
• get
• hearten
• impress
• influence
• instill
• motivate
• produce
• provoke
• spark
• spur
• stir
• sway
• touch