inspire

UK: /ɪnˈspaɪə^r/ US: /ɪnˈspaɪr/ ,(in spī^ər′)

Inflections of 'inspire' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

inspires

v 3rd person singular

inspiring

v pres p

inspired

v past

inspired

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•spire /ɪnˈspaɪr/   v., -spired, -spir•ing. 

1. to fill or affect (someone) with a strong or uplifting influence:
   [~ + object] Her courage inspired her followers.
2. to fill or affect (someone) with any feeling, etc.:
   [~ + object + with + object] Their teacher inspired them with respect.
3. to produce (a feeling, etc.):
   [~ + object + (in + object)] A good leader inspires confidence in his or her followers.
4. to influence or impel (someone to do something): [~ + object + to + object]
   Competition inspired them to greater efforts.
   [~ + object + to + verb]
   Her criticisms inspired him to try harder.
5. to communicate or suggest by a divine influence:
   [~ + object] Christians believe that the New Testament was inspired by God.

See -spir-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•spire  (in spī^ər′), v., -spired, -spir•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence:
   His courage inspired his followers.
2. to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.):
   to inspire confidence in others.
3. to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.:
   to inspire a person with distrust.
4. to influence or impel:
   Competition inspired her to greater efforts.
5. to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does:
   They were inspired by a belief in a better future.
6. to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence:
   writings inspired by God.
7. to guide or control by divine influence.
8. to prompt or instigate (utterances, acts, etc.) by influence, without avowal of responsibility.
9. to give rise to, bring about, cause, etc.:
   a philosophy that inspired a revolution.
10. to take (air, gases, etc.) into the lungs in breathing; inhale.
11. [Archaic.]
    • to infuse (breath, life, etc.) by breathing (usually fol. by into).
    • to breathe into or upon.

v.i. 

12. to give inspiration.
13. to inhale.

• Latin inspīrāre to breathe upon or into, equivalent. to in- in-² + spīrāre to breathe
• Middle English inspiren 1300–50

in•spir•a•tive  (in spī^ər′ə tiv, in′spi rā′tiv), adj.  in•spir′er, n. 
in•spir′ing•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

inspire / ɪnˈspaɪə/ verb

1. to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon (a person); animate or invigorate
2. (tr; followed by with or to; may take an infinitive) to arouse (with a particular emotion or to a particular action); stir
3. (transitive) to prompt or instigate; give rise to
4. (tr; often passive) to guide or arouse by divine influence or inspiration
5. to take or draw (air, gas, etc) into the lungs; inhale
6. (transitive) to breathe into or upon

Etymology: 14th Century (in the sense: to breathe upon, blow into): from Latin inspīrāre, from spīrāre to breathe

inˈspirable adjective

inˈspirative adjective

inˈspirer noun

inˈspiringly adverb