inspiration
gb/ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/ us/ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
B1
Inglés
~ 7100
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B1
state
1
creative motivation or stimulation
A special feeling that makes you want to create something or do something new or better.
Patrón de uso:
feel/need/find [inspiration] for [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse "inspiration" with "aspiration." "Inspiration" is the feeling or energy that makes you want to create or do something, while "aspiration" is a goal or strong hope for the future. Also, learners may overuse "give me an inspiration"; in natural English people more often say "give me inspiration" (uncountable) in this sense.
Sinónimos
motivation (broader; can be for any action or goal, not only creative or special ideas.)
|
stimulus (more formal; focuses on something that causes the feeling rather than the feeling itself.)
|
encouragement (emotional support; less about new ideas, more about feeling able to act.)
Antónimos
boredom (lack of interest or excitement, the opposite of feeling inspired.)
|
apathy (not caring or feeling no desire to act or create.)
Colocaciones
find inspiration
|look for inspiration
|seek inspiration
|creative inspiration
|artistic inspiration
|inspiration for [something]
Temas
emotions
|art
|work
|personal_growth
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- She often finds inspiration for her paintings in nature.
- The speech gave me the inspiration I needed to start my own business.
- Traveling abroad was a huge source of inspiration during his early career.
- When I'm tired, I have no inspiration to write at all.
- The team looked to their coach for inspiration before the final game.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I get a lot of inspiration from music.
- The teacher's story gave the students new inspiration.
- He went for a walk to find inspiration for his project.
- This book is full of inspiration for young people.
- She has no inspiration to draw today.
Sustantivo
B1
entity
2
person or thing that inspires
Someone or something that makes you feel, "I want to do better" or "I can do this."
Patrón de uso:
[someone]/[something] is an inspiration to [someone]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say "He is my inspiration person" instead of "He is an inspiration to me" or "He is my inspiration." Also, they may confuse "inspiration" with "example"; "inspiration" suggests a strong emotional effect that makes you want to act or change.
Sinónimos
role model (someone you want to be like, often in behavior or values, not only in achievement.)
|
idol (a person you admire very much, often with a strong emotional or fan-like feeling.)
|
example (more general; someone whose life or actions you can copy, not always emotionally inspiring.)
Antónimos
bad influence (someone whose behavior encourages others to do harmful or unhelpful things.)
|
disappointment (someone who does not meet hopes or expectations and therefore does not inspire.)
Colocaciones
be an inspiration
|great inspiration
|real inspiration
|an inspiration to [someone]
|a source of inspiration
|draw inspiration from [someone]
Temas
personal_growth
|relationships
|education
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Her courage during the illness has been an inspiration to everyone around her.
- My grandfather was a huge inspiration for my career in science.
- The volunteer workers are an inspiration to the whole community.
- His story of failure and recovery is a real inspiration to young entrepreneurs.
- You are such an inspiration to me; you never give up.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- My mother is an inspiration to me.
- The successful athlete was an inspiration to many children.
- Her kindness is an inspiration for all of us.
- That teacher is an inspiration to his students.
- The book was a big inspiration in my life.
Sustantivo
B2
entity
3
sudden clever idea or solution
A quick, very good idea that suddenly comes into your mind.
Patrón de uso:
have/experience [an inspiration]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say "an inspiration idea" instead of "an inspired idea" or simply "a great idea." When using this sense as a countable noun, it is usually "an inspiration" or part of fixed phrases like "a flash of inspiration."
Sinónimos
idea (more general; does not have to be sudden or especially good.)
|
insight (a clear understanding of a problem, not always used for ordinary or everyday ideas.)
|
stroke of genius (informal; emphasizes that the idea is extremely clever or original.)
Antónimos
mental block (a state where you cannot think of any ideas or solutions.)
|
blank (informal; used when your mind has no ideas at all ("my mind went blank").)
Colocaciones
a flash of inspiration
|a sudden inspiration
|a moment of inspiration
|a stroke of inspiration
|a burst of inspiration
|pure inspiration
Temas
thinking
|problem_solving
|creativity
|education
|work
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- In a flash of inspiration, she realized how to fix the broken code.
- The design came to him as a sudden inspiration during his morning shower.
- Her choice of simple language was a real inspiration and made the article easy to read.
- That last-minute change of plan turned out to be an inspiration.
- He waited for inspiration to strike before rewriting the ending.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I had a sudden inspiration while I was driving.
- That was a real inspiration; it solved the problem.
- The answer came to me in a moment of inspiration.
- Her idea to use photos was pure inspiration.
- He sat quietly and hoped for some inspiration.
Sustantivo
B2
relation
4
source or starting point of creation
The thing that gives someone the main idea for their work, like a book, song, or design.
Patrón de uso:
[something] is the inspiration for/behind [a work]
Error frecuente:
Learners may say "this movie is based on an inspiration" when native speakers usually say "this movie was the inspiration for" or "this movie is based on X" (where X is the original story or event). They also sometimes confuse "take inspiration from" with "take an inspiration of"; the correct preposition is "from."
Sinónimos
influence (something that affects a work or person, but not always the clear starting point.)
|
model (a specific example that a work is shaped after or compared to.)
|
basis (the main idea or structure something is built on; less emotional.)
Antónimos
copy (something made to be the same as another, without its own original source of ideas.)
|
imitation (something that follows another closely instead of having its own inspiration.)
Colocaciones
the inspiration for [a book/song/film]
|the inspiration behind [something]
|take inspiration from [something]
|draw inspiration from [something]
|use [something] as inspiration
|design inspiration
Temas
art
|media
|work
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The real-life murder case was the inspiration for the novel.
- Her childhood memories served as the inspiration behind the film.
- The architect took inspiration from traditional Japanese houses.
- That painting provided the inspiration for our entire campaign.
- The city itself was his main inspiration for the series of photographs.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- This story was the inspiration for my song.
- The mountain view was his inspiration for the painting.
- She used her own life as inspiration for the book.
- Old films are the inspiration behind this new show.
- He takes inspiration from nature for his designs.
Sustantivo
technical
C1
action
5
act of breathing air in
A technical word for taking air into your lungs when you breathe in.
Patrón de uso:
[inspiration] and expiration
Error frecuente:
Learners who know only the creative meaning may be confused by this technical sense in medical texts. In everyday speech, people nearly always say "breathe in" or "inhale," not "do inspiration."
Sinónimos
inhalation (the standard technical term; often more common than "inspiration" in medical English.)
|
breathing in (everyday, non-technical phrase for the same physical action.)
Antónimos
expiration (technical term for breathing air out of the lungs.)
|
exhalation (common technical and general term for breathing out.)
Colocaciones
inspiration and expiration
|during inspiration
|deep inspiration
|normal inspiration
|forced inspiration
Temas
science
|medicine
|health
|body
Ejemplos
- During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward.
- The doctor listened to the patient's lungs during both inspiration and expiration.
- Pain on deep inspiration can be a sign of a lung problem.
- Restricted inspiration was noted after the chest injury.
- The machine supports the patient by controlling inspiration and expiration cycles.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- In medical books, inspiration means breathing in.
- Inspiration and expiration are two parts of breathing.
- The nurse asked him if he felt pain during inspiration.
- Deep inspiration can help open the lungs.
- Inspiration is another word for inhalation in medicine.
Sustantivo
formal
C1
entity
6
divine or spiritual influence
A religious idea: a god or spirit giving someone special thoughts or words to speak or write.
Patrón de uso:
[divine inspiration] to write/say [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners may treat this like ordinary creative inspiration, but in religious contexts it usually suggests a special, holy source, not just a strong feeling or idea.
Sinónimos
revelation (religious; something shown by a god, often with a stronger sense of new truth.)
|
guidance (more general; can be spiritual but also everyday, not limited to religious context.)
Antónimos
heresy (religious; teaching that is against accepted belief, not seen as inspired by God.)
|
blasphemy (speech that shows lack of respect for God, opposite of speech believed to come from God.)
Colocaciones
divine inspiration
|under inspiration
|the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
|claim inspiration
|religious inspiration
Temas
religion
|philosophy
|literature
Ejemplos
- Many believers see the scriptures as written under divine inspiration.
- The preacher spoke of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in guiding the early church.
- The artist described his work as a mixture of skill and spiritual inspiration.
- They debated whether the text showed true inspiration or simple human opinion.
- Her hymns were said to be the result of sudden spiritual inspiration.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Some people think the Bible was written by inspiration from God.
- He believes his words came from divine inspiration.
- The writer said her poem was a gift of spiritual inspiration.
- In many religions, holy books are seen as works of inspiration.
- They talked about the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
inspiration
AFI
GB/ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
US/ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
Sílabas y acento
in - spir - a - tion (4 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (spir)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: inspiration
- Plural: inspiration, inspirations
Familia de palabras
Forms
inspirations
noun
Core family
Related words
inspirational
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
uninspiring
adjective B2
uninspired
adjective
Expresiones
a burst of inspiration
1/ə bˈɚst əv ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
short intense period of inspiration
A short time when you suddenly have a lot of ideas or strong motivation to create or do something.
Ejemplos
- She cleaned the whole house in a burst of inspiration.
- After a burst of inspiration, he wrote three new songs in one night.
- The project moved forward thanks to a burst of inspiration from the team.
a flash of inspiration
1/ə flˈæʃ əv ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
idiom
very sudden clever idea
A very quick, strong idea that comes into your mind all at once.
Ejemplos
- In a flash of inspiration, she realized how to end the story perfectly.
- The new logo came to him in a flash of inspiration during the flight.
- It was a flash of inspiration that changed the direction of the project.
artistic inspiration
1/ɑɹtˈɪstɪk ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
inspiration related to art
The special feeling or ideas that help someone create art, like music, painting, or writing.
Ejemplos
- The countryside has always been a source of artistic inspiration for her.
- He went to the museum in search of artistic inspiration.
- Traveling abroad gave her fresh artistic inspiration.
be an inspiration to [someone]
1/bˈi ən ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
serve as a strong positive example
To make someone feel they can do better or more, because they admire you or your actions.
Ejemplos
- Her strength during a difficult time has been an inspiration to many people.
- You are an inspiration to your students; they really look up to you.
- His story of recovery is an inspiration to everyone who is struggling.
design inspiration
1/dɪzˈaɪn ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
ideas used in design work
Ideas or things that help you decide how something should look or be made.
Ejemplos
- The website offers plenty of design inspiration for small apartments.
- He found design inspiration in mid-century furniture and architecture.
- Social media can be a great place to get design inspiration.
draw inspiration from [something]
1/dɹˈɔ ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən fɹˈʌm sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
take ideas or motivation from
To get ideas or a strong good feeling to create or act by looking at or thinking about something.
Ejemplos
- Many designers draw inspiration from nature and traditional art.
- She draws inspiration from her personal experiences when she writes.
- The film draws inspiration from several classic fairy tales.
find inspiration in [something]
1/fˈaɪnd ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən ˈɪn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
feel inspired because of something
To feel new ideas or strong motivation when you see, hear, or think about something.
Ejemplos
- She finds inspiration in everyday life and ordinary people.
- Many poets find inspiration in the changing seasons.
- I find a lot of inspiration in my children's curiosity.
in a moment of inspiration
1/ˈɪn ə mˈoʊmənt əv ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
during a brief inspired moment
At the exact time when a good idea suddenly comes to you.
Ejemplos
- He chose the title in a moment of inspiration just before the deadline.
- In a moment of inspiration, she decided to change careers.
- The slogan was created in a moment of inspiration over coffee.
lack of inspiration
1/lˈæk əv ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
not feeling inspired
A feeling that you have no good ideas and do not feel like creating or doing something new.
Ejemplos
- I’m struggling with a lack of inspiration for my next article.
- Her recent work shows a clear lack of inspiration.
- During the winter he often feels a lack of inspiration to paint.
source of inspiration
1/sˈɔɹs əv ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
origin of ideas or motivation
A person or thing that gives you ideas or makes you feel like creating or doing something.
Ejemplos
- Her travels have been a constant source of inspiration for her writing.
- The city’s history is a rich source of inspiration for local artists.
- Music is his main source of inspiration when he paints.