inspiration
Americannoun
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an inspiring or animating action or influence.
I cannot write poetry without inspiration.
- Synonyms:
- incitement, stimulus
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something inspired, as an idea.
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a result of inspired activity.
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a thing or person that inspires.
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Theology.
-
a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.
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the divine quality of the writings or words of a person so influenced.
-
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the drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation.
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the act of inspiring; quality or state of being inspired.
noun
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stimulation or arousal of the mind, feelings, etc, to special or unusual activity or creativity
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the state or quality of being so stimulated or aroused
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someone or something that causes this state
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an idea or action resulting from such a state
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the act or process of inhaling; breathing in
Other Word Forms
- reinspiration noun
Etymology
Origin of inspiration
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English inspiracio(u)n, from Late Latin inspīrātiōn-, stem of inspīrātiō literally “a breathing in,” from inspīrāt(us) “breathed in” (past participle of inspīrāre; inspire ) + -iō -ion
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.
But there’s something about looking at a Jacob Lawrence painting that offers me the biggest inspiration in terms of the dexterity and freedom and elasticity of Black bodies in space.
From Los Angeles Times
"He's inspirational because I can relate to him. Coming here as a foreigner and actually making it in life, that's a big inspiration for me," he said.
From BBC
Where do you draw inspiration from when it comes to your music?
From Los Angeles Times
Dior designer Jonathan Anderson drew inspiration from nature and his love of ceramics for his debut Haute Couture collection on Monday, just days after mixed reviews for his menswear.
From Barron's
Having grown up in the 2010s, do you feel like you drew a lot of inspiration from that decade when working on these songs?
From Los Angeles Times
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.
