inform
Other forms: informed; informing; informs
To inform is to tell someone news, pass on wisdom, leak gossip, or give instruction. You've been informed that you won the raffle at the county fair. What are you going to do with all that cheese?
The Latin verb infōrmāre means "to form or shape." The idea of passing on knowledge came about in the 14th Century, with the meaning of "teaching or instructing" coming later. Thomas Jefferson, who believed democracy to be impossible without informed citizens, said, “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
Definitions of inform
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impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to“I informed him of his rights”
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types:
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wise up
cause someone to become aware of something
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instruct, learn, teach
impart skills or knowledge to
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apprise, apprize, instruct
make aware of
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inoculate
introduce an idea or attitude into the mind of
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acquaint
inform
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warn
notify, usually in advance
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fill in
supply with information on a specific topic
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update
bring up to date; supply with recent information
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misinform, mislead
give false or misleading information to
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downplay, minimise, minimize, understate
represent as less significant or important
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betray, denounce, give away, grass, rat, shop, snitch, stag, tell on
give away information about somebody
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undeceive
free from deception or illusion
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warn
notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
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advise, apprise, apprize, give notice, notify, send word
inform (somebody) of something
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acquaint, familiarise, familiarize
make familiar or conversant with
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cue, prompt, remind
assist (somebody acting or reciting) by suggesting the next words of something forgotten or imperfectly learned
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volunteer
tell voluntarily
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acquaint, introduce, present
cause to come to know personally
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regret
express with regret
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designate, indicate, point, show
indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
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indicate
to state or express briefly
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indicate, suggest
suggest the necessity of an intervention; in medicine
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nark
inform or spy (for the police)
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explain, explicate
make plain and comprehensible
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tell
let something be known
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narrate, recite, recount, tell
narrate or give a detailed account of
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narrate
provide commentary for a film, for example
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account, describe, report
to give an account or representation of in words
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report
make known to the authorities
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cover, report
be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism
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announce, denote
make known; make an announcement
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disabuse
free somebody (from an erroneous belief)
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point out, remonstrate
present and urge reasons in opposition
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bear witness, evidence, prove, show, testify
provide evidence for
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develop, educate, prepare, train
create by training and teaching
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indoctrinate
teach doctrines to; teach uncritically
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drill
teach by repetition
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direct
give directions to; point somebody into a certain direction
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digress, divagate, stray, wander
lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
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catechise, catechize
give religious instructions to
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reinforce, reward
strengthen and support with rewards
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spoonfeed
teach without challenging the students
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attest, certify, demonstrate, evidence, manifest
provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes
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represent
point out or draw attention to in protest or remonstrance
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induct
introduce or initiate
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mentor
serve as a teacher or trusted counselor
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tutor
be a tutor to someone; give individual instruction
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unteach
cause to disbelieve; teach someone the contrary of what he or she had learned earlier
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unteach
cause to unlearn
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ground
instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject
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lecture, talk
deliver a lecture or talk
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brief
give essential information to someone
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coach, train
teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports
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lie
tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive
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beat around the bush, equivocate, palter, prevaricate, tergiversate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
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amplify, exaggerate, hyperbolise, hyperbolize, magnify, overdraw, overstate
to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth
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trivialise, trivialize
make trivial or insignificant
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sandbag
downplay one's ability (towards others) in a game in order to deceive, as in gambling
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denounce
announce the termination of, as of treaties
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betray, deceive, lead astray
cause someone to believe an untruth
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forewarn, previse
warn in advance or beforehand; give an early warning
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admonish, caution, monish
warn strongly; put on guard
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threaten
to utter intentions of injury or punishment against:"He threatened me when I tried to call the police"
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alarm, alert
warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness
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orient
familiarize (someone) with new surroundings or circumstances
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verse
familiarize through thorough study or experience
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reacquaint
familiarize anew
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get into
familiarize oneself thoroughly with
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re-introduce, reintroduce
introduce anew
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present
formally present a debutante, a representative of a country, etc.
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meld
announce for a score; of cards in a card game
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bespeak, betoken, indicate, point, signal
be a signal for or a symptom of
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read, record, register, show
indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments
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point
indicate the presence of (game) by standing and pointing with the muzzle
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finger
indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments
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call attention, point out, signalise, signalize
point out carefully and clearly
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break, bring out, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, give away, let on, let out, reveal, unwrap
make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
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sell out
give information that compromises others
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interpret, rede
give an interpretation or explanation to
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account for
give reasons for
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naturalize
explain with reference to nature
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clarify, clear up, elucidate
make clear and (more) comprehensible
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spill, talk
reveal information
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relate
give an account of
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crack
tell spontaneously
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yarn
tell or spin a yarn
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rhapsodise, rhapsodize
recite a rhapsody
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evidence, tell
give evidence
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air, bare, publicise, publicize
make public
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ingeminate, iterate, reiterate, repeat, restate, retell
to say, state, or perform again
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report
announce one's presence
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report
announce as the result of an investigation or experience or finding
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propagandise, propagandize
subject to propaganda
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announce, annunciate, foretell, harbinger, herald
foreshadow or presage
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blazon out, cry
proclaim or announce in public
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trump, trump out
proclaim or announce with or as if with a fanfare
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blare out, blat out
announce loudly
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call out
call out loudly, as of names or numbers
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advertise, advertize, publicise, publicize
call attention to
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edify, enlighten
make understand
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post
publicize with, or as if with, a poster
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presume
constitute reasonable evidence for
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abduce, adduce, cite
advance evidence for
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comment
explain or interpret something
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signify
make known with a word or signal
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bring out, introduce
bring before the public for the first time, as of an actor, song, etc.
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call
indicate a decision in regard to
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fear
be sorry; used to introduce an unpleasant statement
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reflect
manifest or bring back
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sound
announce by means of a sound
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give, impart, leave, pass on
transmit (knowledge or skills)
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condition
establish a conditioned response
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type of:
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communicate, intercommunicate
transmit thoughts or feelings
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act as an informer
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give character or essence to
Pronunciation
US
/ɪnˈfɔərm/
UK
/ɪnˈfɔm/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘inform'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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