Inspire Definition

ĭn-spīr
inspired, inspires, inspiring
verb
inspired, inspires, inspiring
To fill with enlivening or exalting emotion.
Hymns that inspire the congregation; an artist who was inspired by Impressionism.
American Heritage
To give inspiration.
Webster's New World
To stimulate to action; motivate.
A sales force that was inspired by the prospect of a bonus.
American Heritage
To cause, guide, communicate, or motivate as by divine or spiritual influence.
Webster's New World
To have an animating effect upon; influence or impel; esp., to stimulate or impel to some creative or effective effort.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:

Origin of Inspire

  • From Old French inspirer, variant of espirer, from Latin īnspīrāre, present active infinitive of īnspīrō (“inspire”), itself a loan-translation of the Ancient Greek πνέω (pneō, “breathe”) in the Bible, from in + spīrō (“breathe”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English enspiren from Old French enspirer from Latin īnspīrāre in- into in–2 spīrāre to breathe

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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