inspire
[verb]
Synonyms:
- stimulate, animate, encourage, enliven, galvanize, influence, spur
- arouse, enkindle, excite, give rise to, produce

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Antonyms: expire
Related Words: quicken, stimulate, infect, infuse, endow, endue

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

in‧spire /ɪnˈspaɪə $ -ˈspaɪr/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: inspirer, from Latin, from spirare 'to breathe']

1. to encourage someone by making them feel confident and eager to do something:
We need someone who can inspire the team.
inspire somebody to do something
He inspired many young people to take up the sport.
inspire somebody to something
I hope this success will inspire you to greater efforts.
Inspired by the sunny weather, I decided to explore the woods.

2. to make someone have a particular feeling or react in a particular way:
Gandhi’s quiet dignity inspired great respect.
inspire confidence (=make people feel confident because they trust your ability)
His driving hardly inspires confidence.
The hospital’s record does not inspire confidence.

3. to give someone the idea for something, especially a story, painting, poem etc:
The story was inspired by a chance meeting with an old Russian duke.
a range of designs inspired by wild flowers

4. technical to breathe in

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲