inspired

American  

[in-spahyuhrd] / ɪnˈspaɪərd /

adjective

1. aroused, animated, or imbued with the spirit to do something, by or as if by supernatural or divine influence.

   an inspired poet.

2. resulting from such inspiration.

   an inspired poem;

   an inspired plan.

3. inhaled.

   inspired air.

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inspired British  

/ ɪnˈspaɪəd /

adjective

1. aroused or guided by or as if aroused or guided by divine inspiration

   an inspired performance

   she was like one inspired

2. extremely accurate or apt but based on intuition rather than knowledge or logical deduction

   an inspired guess

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Other Word Forms

• inspiredly adverb

Etymology

Origin of inspired

First recorded in 1400–50; inspire + -ed ²

Explanation

Inspired is an adjective that describes something of excellent quality. If your singing in a choral concert is particularly inspired, people can hear your voice hitting all the right notes beautifully. If something is so extraordinary that it's worthy of being described as inspired, you might think that the gods had something to do with its creation. In fact, inspired originally meant "directly inspired by God or gods." It comes from the Latin in-"in" and spirare "to breathe." Maybe such supernatural power did breathe life into something truly excellent. Or maybe the humans just worked very hard and had a great idea.

Example Sentences

The viral trend, which was inspired by a basketball-themed meme, sees TikTokers hitting back at common misconceptions about their life, family, or careers—usually in a bid to reveal something impressive about their background.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Its fonts, a mix of cursive and midcentury typeface, were inspired by his business card.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

It’s so many different things that are wrapped into one and that’s why it’s so important to me to make sure that people are inspired when they come see my shows.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Washington retired two years later to Mount Vernon, where—perhaps inspired by the rebellion—he became a successful distiller of rye and corn whiskey.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

“I saw your website. It inspired me to pull some strings, and I managed to get some info out of the rehab center. The coyote’s still there and is even recovering.”

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz