inform

/ɪnˈfɔːm/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈfɔːrm/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈfȯrm/ (ame, mw)

inform — verb

  • informpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • informshe / she / it
  • informedpast simple
  • informing-ing form

1. to give someone facts or details about something, so that they know what is happ

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to give someone facts or details about something, so that they know what is happening or what has happened

例句

The school sent a letter to inform parents about the new safety rules.

inform + someone + about + something

Christopher informed his manager that the project would need more time.

inform + someone + that-clause

同義詞
  • tell

    more general and less formal; can be used in everyday conversation

  • notify

    more official, often in writing; implies a formal obligation to pass on information

  • advise

    adds a layer of recommendation or guidance alongside the information

  • update

    focuses on bringing someone current with the latest developments

反義詞
  • conceal

    to keep information hidden from someone

  • mislead

    to give someone false or wrong information

文法句型

inform + someone + about + something

inform + someone + of + something

inform + someone + that-clause

用法筆記

Often used in official or written contexts. When the information is a full statement, use a that-clause; when it is a topic, use about or of. Inform someone of is slightly more formal than inform someone about.

常見錯誤

❌I informed him the news.
✅I informed him of the news.
💡Inform requires a preposition (of/about) or a that-clause before the information, not a second direct object.
❌She informed me that she will arrive late.
✅She informed me that she would arrive late.
💡Reported speech after inform typically uses backshifted tenses in formal English.

2. to tell the police or someone in a position of authority that another person has

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to tell the police or someone in a position of authority that another person has done something wrong

例句

Feng informed on his business partner after discovering the fraud.

inform on + someone

A member of the gang informed against its leader to the police.

inform against + someone

同義詞
  • report

    more neutral; can be used for any situation without the negative connotation of betraying trust

  • tell on

    informal; common among children or in casual settings

  • rat on

    very informal and derogatory; suggests betrayal

反義詞
  • cover up

    to hide wrongdoing instead of reporting it

  • protect

    to shield someone from being reported or found out

文法句型

inform + on + someone

inform + against + someone

用法筆記

Always followed by on or against when naming the person reported. Never takes a direct object of the person being reported — the structure is always inform on/against + person. Inform against is less common and sounds more formal or legal.

常見錯誤

❌He informed the police his neighbor.
✅He informed on his neighbor to the police.
💡To report someone's wrongdoing, use inform on/against + the person, not a direct object.
❌She informed on the crime.
✅She informed on the person who committed the crime.
💡Inform on takes a person, not an activity or event.

3. to have a strong influence on the way something develops or is understood — for

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to have a strong influence on the way something develops or is understood — for example, how a person's background shapes their opinions, or how research guides policy decisions

例句

Her experiences as a refugee inform her writing about displacement and home.

The director's research on climate change informed the government's new policies.

active: research informs policy

同義詞
  • shape

    more concrete and widely used; emphasises giving form or direction

  • influence

    broader and more neutral; can be weaker or stronger in effect

  • guide

    suggests direction and purpose, often with positive intent

  • mould

    less common; implies actively shaping or forming

文法句型

be informed by + something

something informs something

用法筆記

Common in academic, intellectual, and professional writing. The subject is usually an abstract noun such as experience, research, values, tradition, or culture. The passive construction (be informed by) is particularly frequent.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher informed the lesson with new ideas.
✅The teacher's approach was informed by new ideas.
💡In this sense, inform is used for abstract influences, not for the act of telling someone during a lesson.