inform

¹

[in-fawrm]

verb (used with object)

1. to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to.

   He informed them of his arrival.

   Synonyms: tell, advise, notify, apprise

2. to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject.

   She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.

   Synonyms: acquaint

3. to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect.

   A love of nature informed his writing.

4. to animate or inspire.

5. Obsolete.

   1. to train or instruct.

   2. to make known; disclose.

   3. to give or impart form to.

verb (used without object)

1. to give information; supply knowledge or enlightenment.

   a magazine that entertains more than it informs.

verb phrase

1. inform on,  to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc..

   He informed on his accomplices.

inform

²

[in-fawrm]

adjective

Obsolete.

1. without form; formless.

inform

¹

/ ɪnˈfɔːm, ɪnˈfɔːmɪdlɪ /

verb

1. (tr; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell

2. (tr; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)

3. (intr; often foll by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc

4. to give form to

5. to impart some essential or formative characteristic to

6. (tr) to animate or inspire

7. obsolete,  (tr)

   1. to train or educate

   2. to report

inform

²

/ ɪnˈfɔːm /

adjective

1. archaic,  without shape; unformed

Other Word Forms

• informable adjective
• informingly adverb
• half-informing adjective
• half-informingly adverb
• uninforming adjective
• informedly adverb

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of inform¹

C14: from Latin informāre to give form to, describe, from formāre to _form

Origin of inform²

C16: from Latin informis from _in- ¹ + forma shape

Example Sentences

O’Keefe informed his Instagram followers that “the charges against me were dismissed” and “deemed by the judge facially insufficient.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They said banning "familiar terms" would make it "more difficult for consumers to make informed decisions".

Read more on BBC

So many times, students and their parents don’t even inform the coach they are leaving.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The 2023 exhibition, titled “Acts of Living,” was largely informed by the pandemic.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

According to the affidavit, Nania stayed informed about police activity in his old neighborhood.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advise 
• apprise 
• brief 
• caution 
• educate 
• instruct 
• notify 
• tell 
• update 
• warn