inform
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to.
He informed them of his arrival.
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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.
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verb (used without object)
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)
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(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
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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
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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
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has been informingperfect progressive
Past
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informedsimple
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had informedperfect
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was informingprogressive
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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:
Text that aims to inform the public on general interest issues will also have to be labelled if they are created using AI without human editorial oversight.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
It said a pilot scheme in Dwyfor, Gwynedd, looking at how to tackle problems with second homes, would inform this review to help assess what action is needed.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
While LGBTQ+ voices were far from silent, especially in a city like New York, the idea that their perspectives could inform broader conversations was not as widespread as it has become.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Understanding the biological, behavioral, and social factors that promote exceptional cognitive aging may ultimately complement traditional disease-focused approaches and help inform more personalized strategies for supporting brain health across the lifespan."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
“I regret to inform you that this entire flight has been selected for gleaning.”
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
"Even when there is an accident or mechanical fault, the water guard quickly informs the control room and a rescue boat is deployed in record time," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
This partly informs the team’s forecast for Fed policy through 2027.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
The dance floor informs both the structure of the production and the record’s lyrical concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Magnason’s opening narration over spectacular footage of glaciers — up close and from far away — gently informs us that we’re watching a time capsule, one where the bonds of family and environment are intertwined.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
She just hugs me some more and tells me she loves me, and after a game of gin rummy Mom gently informs her that it’s time to go.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
Those services keep many communities healthy, safe and informed.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
The family of the man who died have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
For decades, its analyses informed policy on issues ranging from criminal justice to immigration to urban development.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
In a statement, Merz described the incident as a "horrific act" and said he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt were being kept informed of developments.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
John Mack was widely regarded among his CEO peers as relatively well informed about his bond firm’s trading risks.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
The media cited Australian foreign ministry letters sent to the families of the two citizens killed, informing them that Laos would charge the operator of the Tiger brand of alcohol with operating illegally.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
In some cases, relatives flee homes when a family member dies, without informing authorities, leaving highly infectious corpses unattended for days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Five hours before kickoff, after spending the morning celebrating with fellow fans before attending the team parade, Wright received an email from StubHub informing him that his tickets couldn’t be transferred.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Shortly afterwards, he received a call informing him they had already been scattered in the Garden of Remembrance "because they believed that was the instruction from the funeral director".
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“Nighthand! Fidens Nighthand, how dare you come to my city without informing me! I would have laid on a feast!”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
