inspire
verb (used with object)
to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence.
was inspiring
-
past progressiveof inspire.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Television in the 1970s was inspiring to watch, but being on TV didn’t seem feasible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2025
Yes, she was a groundbreaking female researcher in a field that was overwhelmingly male, and that was inspiring.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2025
Watching Mae Jamison become the first Black woman to go to space aboard the shuttle Endeavour in September 1992 was inspiring.
From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2025
The article was inspiring and many teachers throughout the country responded by inviting us to speak at their schools.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
