Inspiration

/ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ · noun

Meaning

(physiology, uncountable) The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing..

Definitions by Sense

1. (physiology, uncountable) The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing.
2. (countable) A single inward breath (intake of air).
3. A supernatural divine influence on the prophets, apostles, or sacred writers, by which they were qualified to communicate moral or religious truth with authority; a supernatural influence which qualifies people to receive and communicate divine truth; also, the truth communicated.
4. The act or process of an elevating or stimulating influence upon the intellect, emotions or creativity.
5. A person, object, or situation which quickens or stimulates an influence upon the intellect, emotions or creativity.
6. A new idea, especially one which arises suddenly and is clever or creative.

Example Sentences

Holonym: respiration

The respiratory movements are no longer normal and rhythmic acts of inspiration and exspiration, but abnormal and irregular expiratory movements

If a reaction involves increased muscle tonus and too much inspiration, muscle relaxation and exhalation exercises might be of use.

Laughing is produced by an inspiration succeeded by a succession of short imperfect expirations.

One of them had a temperature of 40° cent. 104° Fahr. and 97 inspirations per minute.

On physical examination, blood pressure was 145/70 mm Hg, pulse was 108 beats per minute, respiratory rate was 36 inspirations per minute, body temperature was 38 ºC and her oxygen saturation (during nasal oxygen intake) was 93%.

The question, therefore, at issue is, not whether those external means be sufficient without grace and divine inspiration, for none pretends that": but, in order to hinder men from feigning or imagining an inspiration, whether it has not been God's economy, and his usual conduct to make his inspiration walk hand in hand with certain means of fact, which men can neither feign in the air without being convicted of falsehood, nor imagine without illusion.

The more strongly people felt about their ideas, the more potent the demons seemed to them: Christians believed that traditional paganism, far from being the work of men, was an 'opium of the masses', pumped into the human race by the non-human demons; and one scholar even ascribed bad reviews of his book to demonic inspiration!

Synonyms for inspiration

Antonyms for inspiration

Related Words

Word Forms

• inspirations

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions