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
Find inspiration in the garden with a carrot-and-floral arrangement that's both impressive to look at and fairly simple to pull together.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
Blurred nails inspiration Here are some of our fave blurred nails to give you some inspiration.
—Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
Noam Ash didn’t expect his own life to become the inspiration for his first feature film.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
Take this as a sign to run with your inspiration; there is no right answer.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
Blurred nails inspiration Here are some of our fave blurred nails to give you some inspiration.
—Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
Noam Ash didn’t expect his own life to become the inspiration for his first feature film.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
Take this as a sign to run with your inspiration; there is no right answer.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspiration
Noun
-
The motivation behind the post remains unclear.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Kelce on Thursday provided a bit of motivation for his teammate and friend with a video shared on Instagram.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As always, Mexicans will rise to the occasion with efficiency, creativity and fun, to make sure all attendees feel safe and successfully enjoy every match of the 2026 World Cup.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
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Audience reactions from early access screenings have been similar, with moviegoers also applauding the film’s creativity and humor.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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If the two clubs swapped places in the draw, Arsenal’s title chances would fall to 26 per cent, while Bayern would enjoy an uplift to around 17 per cent.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The extent of the uplift in last month’s consumer inflation will probably prove temporary, since it was caused in large part by the timing of the Lunar New Year.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Measuring, analyzing, cautioning, dispensing encouragement.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
-
When one dog needed encouragement to run through the tunnel, Magnuson intervened, shortening it to a few feet.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While the original footage of Gugusse and his mechanical friend might never be found, its place in our imagination is secure.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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January 20 – February 18 When kindness meets imagination, conversations blossom.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His 6-year-old son, Kingston, put his hand on Eleri’s shoulder for additional comfort.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Torque-vectoring control and performance braking package The four-wheel-drive version of the Ti3 adds a series of premium features aimed at improving performance, comfort, and the overall driving experience.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That entrepreneurial bent was a major impetus behind For Denver FC’s earliest efforts—along with a love of the game and gender-equity activism.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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And that gave William the impetus and the confidence to go forward and cement his relationship with Catherine.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Carney also expressed relief that no one was injured.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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Minnelli expected to sit in her usual director’s chair to give her back some relief.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspiration. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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