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
London has also served as the source of inspiration for the brand’s pre-fall 2026 collection.
—
Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
The Housemaid actress, styled by Molly Dickson, took direct inspiration from Monroe for the appearance with a vintage 1950s Ceil Chapman gown.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
Prince reached even further back for inspiration, finding room to include the Florida A&M University marching band.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Yang writes for all ages, drawing inspiration from her experiences as a refugee.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
The Housemaid actress, styled by Molly Dickson, took direct inspiration from Monroe for the appearance with a vintage 1950s Ceil Chapman gown.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
Prince reached even further back for inspiration, finding room to include the Florida A&M University marching band.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Yang writes for all ages, drawing inspiration from her experiences as a refugee.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inspiration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inspiration
Noun
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In any case, despite the motivations behind it the mutiny in the studio turned into a party.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
While seeking a limerent object is a good case study in unconscious motivation, perhaps the best modern example of this phenomenon in practice is the cell phone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At the same time, the report highlights growing concern about the impact of AI on timelines and perceptions of creativity.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
-
In the heart of Berlin, Museum Island unfolds as a grand cultural ensemble where five world-class institutions trace the arc of human creativity from antiquity to the 19th century.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The uplift was driven by strong growth at Coach, which has excelled in recent quarters.—
Maliha Shoaib,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Even the Europa League success of 2025 provided only a temporary uplift.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Aleksandar Mishkov, dog trainer and owner of The Daily Tail, offers a note of encouragement to all would-be pup owners.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
9 Feb. 2026
-
He could be heard often on Saturday screaming encouragement to the middle school group during one-on-one drills.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Now, for the first time, an experiment hints that an ape in captivity can have an imagination.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
When Luckman arrived in Chicago, the Bears playbook had hundreds of designs from the T Formation, with hundreds of variations in the playbook and seemingly hundreds more in the imagination.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The menu moves between Japanese American comfort dishes such as Okinawan taco rice, udon carbonara and matcha roulade and brunch staples including biscuit Benedicts, almond croissants and fresh handmade pastries.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cancer, kismet and the comfort of girlhood Taylor and Finkel know not all cancer patients have a best friend who lives close enough to go to appointments with them, let alone the time to do so.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Poor weather was the impetus for the decision.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
-
What was the impetus for your first chess game?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Paris Reuters — French wine and spirits exports fell last year to their lowest volume in at least 25 years as US tariffs and Chinese duties hit sales and a strong euro made some alcohol more expensive, industry group FEVS said on Tuesday, warning of no imminent relief.—
Reuters 9 hr ago,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Her analysis further suggests that a sanctions-relief agreement that leaves Iran’s broader capabilities intact could stabilize the regime at a moment of internal pressure while preserving its military leverage.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inspiration. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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