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
Paris has long served as a source of lifestyle and cultural inspiration for cofounders and sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard, making the city a logical next chapter for the brand.
—
Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
Signature restaurant Calusso draws inspiration from the French and Italian rivieras, while Sotogrande explores Southern Spain and the Eastern Mediterranean.
—Jesse Scott, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Machado-Graner and de Givry talked to THR about Goodbye Cruel World, its inspirations and how the film is a throwback to another period in cinema history.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
Everybody brings inspiration from different places.
—Glamour, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
Signature restaurant Calusso draws inspiration from the French and Italian rivieras, while Sotogrande explores Southern Spain and the Eastern Mediterranean.
—Jesse Scott, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Machado-Graner and de Givry talked to THR about Goodbye Cruel World, its inspirations and how the film is a throwback to another period in cinema history.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
Everybody brings inspiration from different places.
—Glamour, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspiration
Noun
-
How does my kitchen environment affect my motivation for cooking?—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2026
-
Practice Emotional Self-Regulation Emotional contagion can be a motivation killer.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Slot and his side has received plenty of criticism for their style of play this season because of its lack of intensity, aggression, speed and creativity in and out of possession.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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An ambitious man, always pursuing new avenues for his creativity, Powell experimented with different media (radio, film and television) at a time when not many did.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Across the Flixmedia network of retailers, there is an average add-to-cart uplift of 38 percent gained when shoppers engage with enriched content.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
-
Pichai carries strong values into his work—economic uplift, compassion for migrants—and says his quest is to build useful things for as many people as possible.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
6 May 2026
Noun
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For this year's campaign, Kemp rebuffed Senate Republican leaders' encouragement to challenge Ossoff and declined to endorse either Collins or Carter.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
There’s so much encouragement, advice, and support happening in every one.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Each reiteration and exaggeration of Mary’s bad behavior is another civic stroke of the chisel that perfects the monumental Lincoln in our collective imagination.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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By using the language of French wines to write about Southern food, Beard was placing the latter on the same footing that European food held in the American imagination.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Or watch the outdoors from the comfort of your couch with this smart bird feeder that includes a camera and is generously discounted to $20 this weekend.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 May 2026
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The supple Italian leather, sugarcane midsole, and durable TPR outsoles are designed to provide hours of comfort and long-lasting wear on those warm summer days.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
The swell of political dissatisfaction with Starmer from many of his colleagues, and what appears to be his narrow escape from an immediate leadership challenge, provides the impetus for the government to revamp its legislative agenda.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
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The project now has fresh impetus with SBS Productions and SBS International, which is repping sales at the Cannes market.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The Iran nuclear deal, a 2015 accord reached under President Barack Obama, had placed limitations on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.—
Brooke Migdon,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
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Now, a new study suggests researchers may have found the first drug regimen capable of rapid and sustaining relief from suicidal thoughts across a broad group of patients.—
Ariana Eunjung Cha,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspiration. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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