inspiring

adjective

in·​spir·​ing in-ˈspī-riŋ How to pronounce inspiring (audio)
: having an animating or exalting effect

Examples of inspiring in a Sentence

an inspiring idea for a national program in which young people would commit themselves to a year of community service
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To add insult to injury, distress at work has been linked to a decrease in innovative work behavior, meaning all that destructive stress ultimately may yield less inspiring work. Drew Gerber, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 Loved this story from Rustin Dodd about the different inspiring messages being relayed from sports figures to college graduates over the past month. Dan Shanoff, New York Times, 18 June 2025 This Father's Day, my Administration pays tribute to every father whose fierce love, heroic devotion, and inspiring example are molding the next generation. Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025 His brave and inspiring column revealing his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease repays that debt, and then some. Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for inspiring

Word History

First Known Use

1717, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inspiring was in 1717

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inspiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inspiring. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inspiring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!