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Synonyms

inspire

American

[in-spahyuhr] / ɪnˈspaɪər /

verb (used with object)

to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence.

His courage inspired his followers.
to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.).

to inspire confidence in others.
to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc..

to inspire a person with distrust.
to influence or impel.

Competition inspired her to greater efforts.
to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does.

They were inspired by a belief in a better future.
to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence.

writings inspired by God.
to guide or control by divine influence.
to prompt or instigate (utterances, acts, etc.) by influence, without avowal of responsibility.
to give rise to, bring about, cause, etc..

a philosophy that inspired a revolution.
to take (air, gases, etc.) into the lungs in breathing; inhale.
Archaic.
1. to infuse (breath, life, etc.) by breathing (usually followed byinto ).
2. to breathe into or upon.

verb (used without object)

to give inspiration.
to inhale.

inspire British

/ ɪnˈspaɪə /

verb

to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon (a person); animate or invigorate
(tr; foll by with or to; may take an infinitive) to arouse (with a particular emotion or to a particular action); stir
(tr) to prompt or instigate; give rise to

her beauty inspired his love
(tr; often passive) to guide or arouse by divine influence or inspiration
to take or draw (air, gas, etc) into the lungs; inhale
archaic (tr)
1. to breathe into or upon
2. to breathe life into

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of inspire

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English inspiren, from Latin inspīrāre “to breathe upon, breathe into,” equivalent to in- in- ² ( def. ) + spīrāre “to breathe”

Explanation

The Olympics often inspire people to take up a sport, but they can also inspire patriotism. Inspire means to excite, encourage, or breathe life into. Inspire comes from the Latin word that means to inflame or to blow in to. When you inspire something, it is as if you are blowing air over a low flame to make it grow. A film can be inspired by a true story. Studying for your test will inspire confidence in you. Successful people often have a role model who inspired them to greatness. Who inspires you?

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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:

inspire inspires inspired inspiring

The original ‘Star Trek’ premiered in 1966, and despite a rocky start, it endures and continues to inspire the franchise’s creatives, stars and fans who say its lessons are still relevant today.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

“A commercial might inspire you, but you also have to understand that’s not the experience you’re going to get,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

A hair stylist from Ringwood is hoping to inspire other hairdressers across the country to offer free haircuts.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Real art, on the other hand, makes you think and can even inspire empathy for people who are different.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026

What I see I inspire with usefulness, I think, trying to suck in breath, and all that I do not see is useless, void.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

Nothing about your letter inspires confidence in your father-in-law’s confusing and, frankly, murky situation.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

In the joke that inspires the special’s title, she measures an Instagram comment’s subzero value in a wide scope, lampooning the communal yet cartoonish nature of our endless scroll.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

Is it any wonder that a city that favors make-believe would take to a holiday that inspires elaborate set dressings and creative costumes, the latter a chance to take on a role other than ourselves?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The agreement inspires "very little confidence" as recent incidents of AI going rogue suggest companies have been undisciplined in their approach, she added.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The sort of day that inspires confidence in the state of the world.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

For his ninth LP, he decided to write songs inspired by his youth and used two different backing bands to create variation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

There would be no late-evening South Africa fightback, like the one Mitchell Starc inspired on day one to bowl South Africa out.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Well, one in three travelers have booked a trip inspired by an influencer’s content, according to 2025 data from Influencer Marketing Hub, and 61% have booked a hotel after seeing it on Instagram.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

Mr. Ocker reports that he consumed 82 hours of “fiction media” adapted from or inspired by “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

But that orphans’ home inspired no inklings of thankfulness in my heart.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

With floor-to-ceiling windows, the home is flooded with stunning natural light and is certainly an inspiring place for a notable entertainment industry professional to thrive.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026

Participants are served food and drinks, with each event inspiring a signature cocktail.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

It has become one of the shows most beloved episodes, reaching a viewership of more than 20m people and inspiring tours of Margate based on the show.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

We saw her face the most difficult challenges, and she did it with so much grace and strength that it became, on top of everything else, a very inspiring story.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

She was so inspiring, even the panicked centaurs started to rally.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023