inspirational

IPA/ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃənl/
KK[ˌɪnspɚˈeʃənəl]IPA/ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃənl/

inspirational — adjective

  • inspirationalpositive
  • more inspirationalcomparative
  • most inspirationalsuperlative

1. describes something that lifts your spirits and strengthens your belief that goo

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes something that lifts your spirits and strengthens your belief that good things are possible — for instance, a leader's words that give you the courage to keep going when things are difficult.

Example

Diego found the principal's speech so inspirational that he started a weekend tutoring project.

result clause: so + inspirational + that

The inspirational story of a night-shift nurse led Aiko to study medicine.

pre-modifier: inspirational story

Common collocations
  • inspirational speech
  • inspirational story
  • inspirational figure
  • inspirational leader
  • find something inspirational
  • be truly inspirational
Synonyms
  • inspiring

    More commonly used in everyday speech; 'inspiring' focuses on the immediate emotional effect, while 'inspirational' often implies a more deliberate quality or purpose.

  • uplifting

    Emphasises emotional elevation and happiness; less focused on motivation or action than 'inspirational'.

  • encouraging

    More direct and personal; focuses on giving someone the confidence to do something specific rather than a general sense of hope.

Antonyms
  • discouraging

    Has the opposite effect of draining hope or confidence.

  • demoralising

    Stronger than 'discouraging'; actively lowers someone's spirit or belief in themselves.

Grammar Patterns

be + inspirational

truly / deeply / highly + inspirational

so + inspirational + that-clause

Usage Note

Common in both attributive position before nouns such as story, speech, or figure, and in predicative position after linking verbs such as be, feel, or find something. Frequently modified by intensifiers like truly, deeply, or highly. The that-clause pattern (so inspirational that + result) is especially common in spoken narrative.

Common Mistakes

The teacher gave a very inspired speech about never giving up.
The teacher gave a very inspirational speech about never giving up.
'inspired' describes the speaker's own state of feeling inspired; 'inspirational' describes the effect the speech has on others.
The documentary was very inspiration for young athletes.
The documentary was very inspirational for young athletes.
'inspiration' is a noun; use the -al adjective form after be.

2. describes something that stirs fresh ideas or gives you a strong urge to create,

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes something that stirs fresh ideas or gives you a strong urge to create, particularly in areas such as painting, writing, or music — for example, a documentary that pushes a young dancer to try a completely new style.

Example

Leila found the old photographer's album deeply inspirational and filled her sketchbook with new drawings.

collocation: deeply inspirational

The museum exhibition was so inspirational that Tomás started writing poetry again.

result clause: so + inspirational + that

Common collocations
  • inspirational lecture
  • inspirational artist
  • inspirational exhibition
  • inspirational design
  • inspirational for young creatives
  • find something creatively inspirational
Synonyms
  • inspiring

    Broader and more casual; can replace 'inspirational' in most creative contexts but lacks the specific connotation of deliberate artistic influence.

  • creative

    Describes the quality of being original or imaginative in a person or work; does not carry the sense of sparking creativity in others the way 'inspirational' does.

  • stimulating

    More intellectual than emotional; focuses on engaging the mind rather than the creative urge.

Antonyms
  • uninspiring

    Describes something that fails to spark any new ideas or creative energy.

  • stifling

    The opposite of freeing the imagination; describes something that suppresses or blocks creativity.

Grammar Patterns

be + inspirational + for/to + person

find + noun + (deeply) + inspirational

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense foregrounds creative or intellectual stimulation rather than emotional encouragement. The subject is typically an artwork, performance, lecture, cultural experience, or natural scene. Often found in reviews, art criticism, and educational contexts.

Common Mistakes

The teacher's feedback was very inspirational to my writing skills.
The teacher's feedback was very inspiring for my writing skills.
'inspirational' usually describes something designed or experienced as inspiring; for personal development of a skill, 'inspiring' is more natural.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These three words overlap with inspirational but differ in emphasis. Inspiring is the broadest and most everyday term; a story, view, or person can be inspiring simply by making you feel hopeful or impressed. Motivational is more targeted — it drives you toward a specific goal or action, often through explicit strategies, rewards, or external encouragement, and is commonly used for speeches, videos, or training programs. Uplifting focuses on emotional lift: it makes you feel happier, lighter, or more positive, without necessarily pushing you to act. Inspirational sits between inspiring and motivational: it carries the emotional hope of uplifting and the action-oriented push of motivational, but with a connotation of lasting transformation rather than a quick boost. For example, a song can be uplifting (you feel cheerful), a coach's talk can be motivational (you run faster), and a biography can be inspirational (you change how you live).

inspiring ↗motivational ↗uplifting ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • inspirational speech
  • inspirational story
  • inspirational figure
  • inspirational leader
  • inspirational message
  • inspirational talk
  • inspirational book
  • inspirational film
  • inspirational journey

Adverbs

  • deeply inspirational
  • truly inspirational
  • highly inspirational
  • genuinely inspirational
  • incredibly inspirational

Phrases

  • find something inspirational
  • be considered inspirational
  • serve as an inspirational example

Prepositions

  • inspirational for
  • inspirational to

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin verb inspirare, meaning 'to breathe into' — a combination of in- ('into') and spirare ('to breathe'). In ancient Roman religion, the word described a divine or supernatural force 'breathing' an idea into a person. This passed into Old French as inspirer and then into Middle English as inspire. The noun inspiration appeared in English around 1300, carrying both the literal sense of breathing in and the figurative sense of divine guidance. By the 1600s, inspiration had settled into its modern meaning of a sudden creative or uplifting impulse. The adjective inspirational was formed by adding the suffix -al to inspiration, and it first appeared in English in the mid-1800s.