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
Yes, she was a groundbreaking female researcher in a field that was overwhelmingly male, and that was inspiring.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2025
"It was inspiring to be out here," Williams told Sky Sports.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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 man who was inspiring the protests was a priest named Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
