1
as in to encourage
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
the rousing campaign speech inspired everyone to get out the vote
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to elicit
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved)
what inspired that comment?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
great works of visual art can inspire us in ways that the written word often cannot
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inspire
Their system was inspired by meteor tracking, with cameras pointed in various angles to catch the entire night sky.
—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 20 June 2025
Keep scrolling to shop more skinny jeans, blazers, and button-down shirts inspired by Kate Middleton’s outfit blueprint below.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 20 June 2025
To that end, Carsley pinned up a photo of the World Cup to inspire his young players ahead of this summer’s tournament.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Hong Kong’s relentless pace has inspired a wellness revolution where ancient rituals meet cutting-edge science.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inspire
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 20 June 2025
Keep scrolling to shop more skinny jeans, blazers, and button-down shirts inspired by Kate Middleton’s outfit blueprint below.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 20 June 2025
To that end, Carsley pinned up a photo of the World Cup to inspire his young players ahead of this summer’s tournament.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Hong Kong’s relentless pace has inspired a wellness revolution where ancient rituals meet cutting-edge science.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inspire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspire
Verb
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These plays still aren’t consistent from Ivey, but look for the Pistons to put him in more pick-and-roll situations to encourage more growth in that department.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
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State lawmakers created the program in 2017 to encourage more publicly funded, privately run schools to open in areas where traditional public schools had been failing for years, giving students and families in those neighborhoods a way to bail out of a persistently struggling school.—
Kate Payne,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 June 2025
Verb
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This is not something meant to elicit praise, surprise, disgust or a call from my gastroenterologist.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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That assessment is likely to elicit wide eyes and snarky responses across college football, but her case comes with an important caveat.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Retail investors shouldn’t be seen as hurdles, but rather as opportunities for widespread adoption, and must be educated for sustainable innovation.—
Joash Lee,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Healthcare providers and community leaders must also educate patients about vaccination benefits, particularly for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and those with high exposure.—
Dr. Jerome Adams,
Time,
10 June 2025
Verb
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Political Shifts And Policies: A Source Of Hope And Anxiety Simultaneously, new political policies, whether aimed at addressing climate change, social inequality or global conflicts, often evoke mixed emotions.—
Novena Riojas,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Her female figures were large in their art-historical scope as well as in their scale, evoking not just the classical tradition but also canonical modernist works by Pablo Picasso and Willem de Kooning.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inspire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspire. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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