Meanings
verbinspire (third-person singular simple present inspires, present participle inspiring, simple past and past participle inspired)
present singular third person inspires · participle present inspiring · participle past inspired · past inspired
- transitiveTo infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
Dawning day new comfort hath inspired.
c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)3 more examples
He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Wisdom 15:11[…] and whose example of reverence and devotion was so well calculated to inspire confidence and attachment in every class of the community?
1810, Cobbett's Political Register - Volume 17, page 379Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals.
2012 March-April, Anna Lena Phillips, “Sneaky Silk Moths”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 19 Feb 2013, page 172 - transitiveTo infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens or exalts; to communicate inspiration to.
Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue.
2 more examples
The captain's speech was aimed to inspire her team to victory in the final.
Erato, thy poet's mind inspire, / And fill his soul with thy celestial fire.
1697, Virgil, “The Seventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC - ambitransitiveTo draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.
Everything was elaborately padded, even the Myers apparatus which was to absorb carbonic acid and replace the oxygen inspired by its tenant
1896, H. G. Wells, In the Abyss, Pearson's Magazine1 more example
By means of those sulfurous coal smokes the lungs are as it were stifled and extremely oppressed, whereby they are forced to inspire and expire the air with difficulty.
1672, Gideon Harvey, Morbus Anglicus, Or, The Anatomy of Consumptions - To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
- archaictransitiveTo breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
Deſcend ye nine! deſcend and ſing; / The breathing inſtruments inſpire, / VVake into voice each ſilent ſtring, / And ſvveep the ſounding lyre!
1687 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Ode for Musick on St. Cecilia’s Day”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, canto I, page 371 - transitiveTo spread rumour indirectly.
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
antonym(s) of “inhale”
Opposite
verbspur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
- Proto-Italic*en
- Proto-Italic*en-
- Latinin-
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)peys-der.?
- Latinspīrō
- Latinīnspīrō
- Old Frenchespirer
- Old Frenchenspirer
- Middle Englishenspiren
- Englishinspire
From Middle English inspiren, enspiren, from Old French inspirer, variant of espirer, from Latin īnspīrāre (“inspire”), itself a loan-translation of Biblical Ancient Greek πνέω (pnéō, “breathe”), from in + spīrō (“breathe”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Displaced native Old English onbryrdan (literally “to prick in”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian внушавам, вдъхновявам
- внушавам (vnušavam)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- вдъхновявам (vdăhnovjavam)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- вдишвам (vdišvam)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Catalan inspirar, inspirar
- inspirarto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirarto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Chinese Mandarin 授意, 鼓舞
- 授意 (shòuyì)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- 鼓舞 (gǔwǔ)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- 影响 (yǐngxiǎng)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- 吸入 (xīrù)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- 吹入archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
- 吹奏 (chuīzòu)archaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
Czech inspirovat
- inspirovatto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
Danish inspirere, inspirere
- inspirereto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirereto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Dutch inspireren, beademen
- inspirerento infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- beademento infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- beademenarchaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
Esperanto inspiri, inspiri
- inspirito infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirito infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Finnish elähdyttää, innoittaa
- elähdyttääto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- innoittaato infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspiroidato infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- innostaato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- inspiroidato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
French inspirer, inspirer
- inspirerto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirerto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- inspirerto infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
German inspirieren, inspirieren
- inspirierento infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirierento infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- beatmento infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- einhauchento infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Greek εμπνέω, πνέω
- εμπνέω (empnéo)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- πνέω (pnéo)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Hebrew השרה, השרה
- השרה (hishrá)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- השרה (hishrá)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Hungarian sugalmaz, megihlet
- sugalmazto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- megihletto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- ihletet adto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- keltto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- ébresztto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirálto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- ösztönözto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- lelkesítto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- inspirálto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- eltöltto infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- elöntto infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- töltto infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Icelandic hvetja
- hvetjato infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
Italian ispirare, ispirare
- ispirareto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- ispirareto infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- ispirarearchaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
Latin afflō, iniciō
- afflōto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- iniciōto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- īnspīrōto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- afflōto infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- īnspīrōarchaic: to breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate
Latvian inspirēt, iedvest
- inspirētto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- iedvestto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- iedvesmotto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirētto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- iedvestto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- iedvesmotto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Māori whakamanawa, toitoi manawa
- whakamanawato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- toitoi manawato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- whakaohoohoto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- whakakipakipato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- whakahihikoto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Polish inspirować, zainspirować
- inspirowaćto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- zainspirowaćto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
Portuguese inspirar
- inspirarto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
Romanian inspira, inspira
- inspirato infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Russian внуша́ть, внуши́ть
- внуша́ть (vnušátʹ)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- внуши́ть (vnušítʹ)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- вдохновля́ть (vdoxnovljátʹ)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- вдохнови́ть (vdoxnovítʹ)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- вдохновля́ть (vdoxnovljátʹ)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- вдохнови́ть (vdoxnovítʹ)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- воодушевля́ть (vooduševljátʹ)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- воодушеви́ть (vooduševítʹ)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- вдыха́ть (vdyxátʹ)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- вдохну́ть (vdoxnútʹ)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Spanish inspirar, infundir
- inspirarto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- infundirto infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Swedish inspirera, inspirera
- inspirerato infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- inspirerato infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Turkish esinlemek, ilham vermek
- esinlemekto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- ilham vermekto infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
Ukrainian вселя́ти, всели́ти
- вселя́ти (vseljáty)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- всели́ти (vselýty)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- наві́ювати (navíjuvaty)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- наві́яти (navíjaty)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- надиха́ти (nadyxáty)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- надихну́ти (nadyxnúty)to infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- надиха́ти (nadyxáty)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- надихну́ти (nadyxnúty)to infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
- вдиха́ти (vdyxáty)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
- вдихну́ти (vdyxnúty)to infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing
Welsh ysbrydoli, ysbrydoli
- ysbrydolito infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit
- ysbrydolito infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with inspire
firehigherpriorentirerequirebuyerhirewiresupplierempiredesiretireacquireinquireflyerdryerchoirretireexpireshireaspiredireadmiretyre
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
inspire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inspire
MLA
“inspire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inspire. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inspire,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inspire.
Source: inspire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.