To inspire means to fill someone with the feeling, confidence, or motivation to do something meaningful or challenging. When a teacher inspires her students to love reading, she makes them genuinely excited about books and eager to explore them. When a scientist's discovery inspires others to pursue research, it sparks something inside them that makes them want to follow that path.

When you inspire someone, you're awakening something in them: courage they didn't know they had, creativity that was waiting to emerge, or determination to tackle something difficult. A coach might inspire their team before a tough game. A parent's hard work might inspire their children to set ambitious goals. Great books, movies, and real-life examples of perseverance can all inspire us.

You can also be inspired in a creative sense: an artist might feel inspired to paint after seeing a beautiful sunset, meaning the idea came to them naturally and energetically. When someone asks, “What inspired you to try that?” they're asking what gave you the spark or motivation to begin. Inspiration can strike suddenly, like when you're inspired by a friend's courage, or build gradually as you watch someone work toward their dreams.