inspire
verb
Wisdom of Solomon 15:11
Did you know?
More on the Meaning of Inspire
When inspire first came into use in the 14th century it had a meaning it still carries in English today: “to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural influence or action.” It’s this use that we see in phrases like “scripture inspired by God,” where the idea is that God shaped the scripture in an active and explicit way.
The meaning is a metaphorical extension of the word's Latin root: inspirare means "to breathe or blow into." The metaphor is a powerful one, with the very breath of a divine or supernatural force asserted as being at work.
The metaphor developed further, with inspire gaining similar but somewhat weaker meanings. Someone who is inspired by a particular artist, for example, is influenced by that artist in a way that animates or intensifies their own work. Something that inspires people to action motivates them. And if we say that something has inspired an emotion, thought, or idea, we are saying that it somehow had a part in its coming to be.
The word inspire has also drawn on the meaning of its literal root over the years, with meanings like "inhale," "to breathe or blow into or upon," and "to infuse (something, such as life) by breathing," but these meanings are not commonly encountered in modern use.
Synonyms
Examples of inspire in a Sentence
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2024
Mancuso renders his character’s existential crisis with sprightly scenes inspired by the director’s early Vines and YouTube show, Awkward Puppets.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
But as [the writers] were talking about it, the designers were sketching and being inspired and thinking like, ‘Oh, this is really cool.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
So the Heat was a very good clutch team last year — both during an uneven regular season and inspired postseason run.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Our six-part mindfulness guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it.
CNN —
There is no doubt that stress is a part of everyday life, but too much can have detrimental impacts on people’s physical and mental health.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
By building a business that puts folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities behind the counter, Ratcliffe hopes to inspire local business owners to reframe their beliefs around employing workers with disabilities and, importantly, to consider the benefits of doing so.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
Often, your excellent questions inspire us to write full-length articles.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
But content surrounding Wren has inspired a level of attention and criticism that feels unprecedented.
—Zara Hanawalt, Parents, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inspire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to inspire
Dictionary Entries Near inspire
Cite this Entry
“Inspire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inspire. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inspire
verb
Medical Definition
inspire
verb
Share