1
as in motivation
something that arouses action or activity
She traveled cross-country seeking inspiration for her next book. He credits his mother as his inspiration for becoming a social worker.
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2
as in creativity
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
They were a group of young artists filled with inspiration.
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3
as in uplift
a feeling of ease from grief or trouble
The return of summer brought with it a new sense of inspiration.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inspiration
Most of the fabrics draw inspiration from late 1990s and early 2000s utilitarian and minimalist aesthetics.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
For the many writers living in Altadena when the Eaton fire erupted last January, the flames took their houses, their places of refuge and inspiration, their community gathering centers and their archives.
—Erica Zora Wrightson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
If Leone was an inspiration in terms of pace, Hitchcock remained the big influence in terms of tone.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
The goal is infrastructure, not just inspiration.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
For the many writers living in Altadena when the Eaton fire erupted last January, the flames took their houses, their places of refuge and inspiration, their community gathering centers and their archives.
—Erica Zora Wrightson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
If Leone was an inspiration in terms of pace, Hitchcock remained the big influence in terms of tone.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
The goal is infrastructure, not just inspiration.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspiration
Noun
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Brain function and motivation Regular marijuana use affects all areas of brain function, including attention span, memory and motivation, according to Gamberg.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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According to the survey, respondents who reported using AI more frequently worried less about its impact on intelligence and motivation, indicating AI anxiety may resolve over time.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Create Shadow Art Shadow art is a great way to lean into Groundhog Day while also letting kids express their own creativity.—
Marilyn La Jeunesse,
Parents,
31 Jan. 2026
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Able to operate across the midfield, the 23-year-old would provide bite and physicality during Joelinton’s ongoing injury absence, while also offering creativity in attack, which Newcastle have lacked, especially in away matches.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Tanner spoke in a blend of political rabble-rousing and entrepreneurial uplift.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
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And while the buzz of a debut can attract eyeballs, and sometimes even a sales uplift, ultimately, once the buzz fades, designers today feel unable to be truly innovative and take the kind of creative risks that prompt long-term brand growth.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Punk’s response felt less like encouragement and more like a challenge.—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cathleen also acted as dance mistress by demonstrating the steps and helping James provide encouragement and brief explanations for a dance’s historical context.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And all the teachers were social documentary still photographers and filmmakers, reminding me that there is as much drama in what is and what was as anything that the human imagination dreams up.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
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In the production, Hayes plays Elliott, a writer grappling with creative paralysis who retreats to a remote cabin, only to find the line between imagination and reality dangerously blurred.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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There was that that gave us comfort.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Rebecca Loos, David Beckham's former assistant, is finding comfort in Brooklyn Beckham's explosive statement about the intimate details of their family feud.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The decisive impetus on the material side comes from our shareholder Mitsui Chemical to use sustainable material solutions in these products.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
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The immediate impetus for the protests was the release by Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism on July 13, 2019 (the day before the protests began), of nearly 900 pages of digital chats between Rosselló and his top aides and cabinet members.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The congressman says one of his top priorities is passing a new farm bill, which has been tied up in Congress and could provide some relief to local farmers struggling with declining profits.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Asian currency strength may give some relief to currencies such as the Philippine peso, Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah that have been weakening.—
Marcus Wong,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspiration. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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