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. 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

/ ɪnˈfɔːmɪdlɪ; ɪnˈfɔːm /

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

Derived Forms

• inˈformingly, adverb
• informedly, adverb
• inˈformable, adjective

Other Words From

• in·forma·ble adjective
• in·forming·ly adverb
• half-in·forming adjective
• half-in·forming·ly adverb
• unin·forming adjective

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

He informed them that he was a student and received results back pretty quickly, within two days, before getting on the plane.

From Fortune

Had she been informed of what was being done with regard to her fallopian tubes, she would have been able to respond fairly to that.

From Vox

Instead, the doctor informed her that he had also removed one of her fallopian tubes and that she could expect to have difficulty conceiving if she wanted to have more children.

From Vox

Its comprehensive report, released in 2018, informed my research and the list below.

From Vox

Soon the prestigious Wellesley College informed her that it had put her on the waitlist for admission.

From Voice of San Diego

How did your start as a book reviewer inform the personal essayist you became?

From The Daily Beast

The daily message of that outsized shield to Ramos was that just wearing the NYPD inform can make you a target.

From The Daily Beast

How does a complicated ethnic background inform someone's experiences?

From The Daily Beast

We kindly inform these little jokers with the dubious jokes that they risk judicial proceedings they may not find funny at all.

From The Daily Beast

I would like to inform everyone not to take the page too seriously, we are not trying to promote anything.

From The Daily Beast

That alone is being sent to your Majesty as a report, in order to inform you of everything, as is my duty.

From Project Gutenberg

He has a packet in his possession, that will inform Louis de Montemar of the fate of his father.

From Project Gutenberg

He instructed the black woman to go at once and inform Madame Lebrun that Mrs. Pontellier desired to see her.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall be short in this letter, because I know but little as yet, and that little I expect Mr. Page will inform you.

From Project Gutenberg

Perhaps in a day or two I shall hear something about it; I would thank you to inform me should you know anything about it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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