heighten or intensify
"These paintings exalt the imagination"
supply the inspiration for
"The article about the artist inspired the exhibition of his recent work"
fill with revolutionary ideas
"The fiery speech inspired the crowd to rise up against tyranny."
draw in (air)
"Inhale deeply"
"inhale the fresh mountain air"
"The patient has trouble inspiring"
"The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well"
To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
"The prophet was inspired to write his scriptures directly from God."
In plain English: To inspire someone means to give them a strong feeling of motivation or excitement that makes them want to do something great.
"The beautiful sunset inspired her to paint immediately."
Usage: Use inspire when you mean to motivate someone through encouragement or creativity rather than causing them an action. Do not confuse this verb with induce, which implies forcing a specific result without necessarily uplifting the subject's spirit.
The word "inspire" entered Middle English via the French inspirer, which was a direct translation of the Greek phrase for breathing into someone. This replaced an earlier native Germanic term, shifting the focus from physical stimulation to the act of giving breath or spirit.