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

One of them informs the control room via radio that the land drone has been offloaded.

Read more on BBC

Kahn’s lawyer said his client had no control over this account and that the woman who received the funds didn’t inform Kahn of any abuse.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That poses growing risks in the coming years, as the country faces increasingly complex changes that require leaders to make informed decisions.

Read more on Barron's

Others say music fans should be able to make informed choices about what they listen to.

Read more on BBC

Through informed essays, it also traces how the field was transformed once again over the last half of the 20th century, going from critical neglect to cultural ubiquity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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