English Meaning & Definitions
To fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
- “The teacher's passion for history inspired her students to pursue careers in archaeology.”
- “The beautiful mountain landscape inspired the artist to paint her most famous masterpiece.”
To create a particular feeling or emotion in someone.
- “The team's unexpected victory inspired confidence in their supporters.”
- “His speech was intended to inspire hope among the struggling community.”
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “inspire”.
Derived from the Old French 'inspirer', which comes from the Latin 'inspirare', meaning 'to breathe into'. It is composed of the prefix 'in-' (into) and 'spirare' (to breathe). Historically, it referred to the divine influence of a god or spirit breathing life or knowledge into a person.
Think of 'in-spirit': when you inspire someone, you are putting a new spirit or energy into them.
Frequently Asked Questions About “inspire”
1. What is the meaning of “inspire” in English?
In English, inspire (verb) is defined as: “To fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.”.
2. How do you use “inspire” in a sentence?
“The teacher's passion for history inspired her students to pursue careers in archaeology.”
3. What are English synonyms of “inspire”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “inspire”?
Derived from the Old French 'inspirer', which comes from the Latin 'inspirare', meaning 'to breathe into'. It is composed of the prefix 'in-' (into) and 'spirare' (to breathe). Historically, it referred to the divine influence of a god or spirit breathing life or knowledge into a person.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.