inform
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
informs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
informed,
past participle, past
-
informing
present participle
-
to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to.
He informed them of his arrival.
-
to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject.
She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.
- Synonyms:
- acquaint
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to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect.
A love of nature informed his writing.
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to animate or inspire.
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Obsolete.
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to train or instruct.
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to make known; disclose.
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to give or impart form to.
-
verb (used without object)
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informs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
informed,
past participle, past
-
informing
present participle
verb phrase
adjective
verb
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(tr; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell
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(tr; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)
-
(intr; often foll by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc
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to give form to
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to impart some essential or formative characteristic to
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(tr) to animate or inspire
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obsolete (tr)
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to train or educate
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to report
-
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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half-informingadjective
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informableadjective
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uninformingadjective
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half-informinglyadverb
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informedlyadverb
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informinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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informsimple
-
informssimple
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have informedperfect
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has informedperfect
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am informingprogressive
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are informingprogressive
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is informingprogressive
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have been informingperfect progressive
-
has been informingperfect progressive
Past
-
informedsimple
-
had informedperfect
-
was informingprogressive
-
were informingprogressive
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had been informingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
To inform is to tell someone news, pass on wisdom, leak gossip, or give instruction. You've been informed that you won the raffle at the county fair. What are you going to do with all that cheese? The Latin verb infōrmāre means "to form or shape." The idea of passing on knowledge came about in the 14th Century, with the meaning of "teaching or instructing" coming later. Thomas Jefferson, who believed democracy to be impossible without informed citizens, said, “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
Vocabulary lists containing inform
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Shape Up: Form
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Shoppers, often from profiles with traditionally male names, would inform me that a supermarket had apparently run out of tomatoes in every conceivable form.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
She said fitness apps have added a competitive element to "inform and advise" people in a way that could not be done a decade ago, but this can lead to compulsive behaviour disorder.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The chef’s influence will extend beyond the communal dining areas and into the residences themselves, with his vision helping inform the design of the in-home kitchens.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Ten days later, the Netflix executive emailed Afram’s team to inform them that the drive containing “Fortitude” had been stolen, according to the producer’s suit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Instead Brother Zesht seemed to be counting the men with him, to better inform Samir of the right number of free things to give them.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
The past informs both the present and the future.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
So of course that informs a lot of my decision-making and the work I do.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
A full diagnostic panel informs every guest’s customized itinerary.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
"We will ensure the learning from the coroner's findings informs our continuing work to strengthen patient safety and care," says Dr Bridle.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
“The decision is the same. Not ready,” he informs the floor.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
Not only do we carry the horrors of the universe in our pockets, we spend most of our waking hours gazing into that abyss in the name of staying informed.
From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026
Employees facing misconduct allegations would be informed of the possible outcomes before being asked to respond and a suicide prevention framework was being developed, it added.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Kelker-Kelly’s wife, Allison Kelly, informed authorities the actor complained of pain in his left arm and chest while on the drive home from Spirit Airport, People reported.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
These comparisons allow investors to make informed trade-offs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Mr. Collins had informed Powers he’d been chosen for a “special mission.”
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
"I am grateful to them for informing me," he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Last Wednesday, the city sent letters to the Metro Little League and the MBA informing them that their access to the athletic fields was revoked.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
“If they were serious about informing people about how to save lives, they would put the Heimlich maneuver on top of their website.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
The findings suggest that studying the genetics of personality could have implications well beyond psychology, potentially informing research in medicine, health, education and the workplace.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
Shortly after I collected the last of the game’s nineteen treasures, a tiny brass bauble, a notice flashed in my display informing me that the Vonnegut had arrived outside.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
