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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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; see inspire) + -iō -ion
Explanation
An inspiration is a product of your thought, like a brilliant idea. If you have the next revolutionary inspiration like the printing press, the telephone, or the computer, you may just change the world. The noun inspiration can also mean a sudden intuition or idea, or something that arouses your desire to take action. You may find that doing some routine provides inspiration (gets your creative juices flowing), like going for a walk, looking at art, or reading a great poem. Inspiration can also mean breathing in or inhaling.
Vocabulary lists containing inspiration
An Inspirational Back-to-School Word List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Ingenious Lexicon of Invention
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Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Xiaohongshu is now the first place "a lot of younger travellers" seek inspiration, said Ming Yii Lai, senior strategy consultant at Daxue Consulting.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
“He was absolutely my inspiration because he was technically minded. He made my childhood and formative years one of the greatest times of my life,” Don Iwerks told The Times in 1998.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
It started with Navratilova, a record nine-time singles champion at the All England Club, who remained an inspiration to those back in her homeland after defecting from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1975.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Only today’s would-be homesteaders look to TikTok stars like Ballerina Farm’s Hannah Neeleman for inspiration or don Gunne Sax-style prairie dresses and call the look cottagecore.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
“How about something from the movies? Or books?” she said, hoping inspiration would strike.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
From then on, the two would remain friends, correspondents, confidantes, sounding boards, and inspirations to one another.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
“True Detective” and “Slow Horses” have been mentioned as inspirations for the series, which boasts both prestige TV and comic book bona fides in creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
Paul Denton, director of creative programmes and exhibitions at Kew, said: "The experience will invite visitors to engage deeply with Moore's artistic inspirations, revealing how his work was shaped by discoveries unfolding during his lifetime."
From BBC ● May 9, 2026
History, by this model, offers motley warnings, reality-checks and sober inspirations for the work ahead in place of a master narrative.
From Salon ● Jan. 3, 2026
Conferences dragged, producers got inspirations that had to carefully get shot down, directors needed their egos soothed.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
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.
