1
as in to encourage
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
the rousing campaign speech inspired everyone to get out the vote
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to elicit
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved)
what inspired that comment?
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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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Recent Examples of inspire
Glad My Mom Died, a dramedy inspired by Jennette McCurdy’s bestselling memoir of the same name with Jennifer Aniston set to star and executive produce.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Sánchez wore a custom wedding dress by Dolce & Gabbana inspired by classic 1950s bridal fashion.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
Instead, the character inspired by her own love story is played by Hacks star Megan Stalter, with a cast of up-and-comers rounding out the ensemble of the Netflix comedy-drama that’s sure to generate plenty of conversation.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 1 July 2025
To celebrate its centenary, The New Yorker invited fiction writers to contribute stories inspired by works from the archive, then to explain why those works inspired them.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inspire
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Sánchez wore a custom wedding dress by Dolce & Gabbana inspired by classic 1950s bridal fashion.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
Instead, the character inspired by her own love story is played by Hacks star Megan Stalter, with a cast of up-and-comers rounding out the ensemble of the Netflix comedy-drama that’s sure to generate plenty of conversation.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 1 July 2025
To celebrate its centenary, The New Yorker invited fiction writers to contribute stories inspired by works from the archive, then to explain why those works inspired them.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inspire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspire
Verb
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Later, Mi-ji and Ho-su encourage Sang-wol to learn how to read.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
30 June 2025
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The return of blue-book exams might disadvantage students who were encouraged to master typing at a young age.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Cheating on an assignment could elicit a level one or level two response, according to the CMS Code of Conduct.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2025
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The news that a veteran artist is about to play their entire new album would typically elicit silent groans throughout a classic rock audience, or at least a stampede to the bathrooms or bar, but Seven Psalms is a remarkable achievement, and fans have had two years to process it.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2025
Verb
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Lin was educated in China and Europe, but lived in the U.S. for three decades.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
5 July 2025
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The public announcement attempts to educate taxpayers of the Form 3520-A reporting obligation, and the Practice Unit seeks to educate IRS examiners of the Form 3520-A penalties.—
Matthew L. Roberts,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
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Designed to evoke the charm of a refined café in Paris, the evening will showcase an exclusive cocktail menu crafted with French ingredients and expert precision in Bar Crenn’s intimate setting.—
Chelsea Davis,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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In their speeches Saturday, some of the rally speakers evoked the theme, which was also used to fuel Serbian nationalism in the 1990s that later led to the incitement of ethnic wars after the breakup of Yugoslavia.—
Jovana Gec,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inspire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspire. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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