inform

¹

[in-fawrm]

verb (used with object)

1. to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to.

   He informed them of his arrival.

   Synonyms: tell, advise, notify, apprise

2. to supply (oneself) with knowledge of a matter or subject.

   She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.

   Synonyms: acquaint

3. to give evident substance, character, or distinction to; pervade or permeate with manifest effect.

   A love of nature informed his writing.

4. to animate or inspire.

5. Obsolete.

   1. to train or instruct.

   2. to make known; disclose.

   3. to give or impart form to.

verb (used without object)

1. to give information; supply knowledge or enlightenment.

   a magazine that entertains more than it informs.

verb phrase

1. inform on,  to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc..

   He informed on his accomplices.

inform

²

[in-fawrm]

adjective

Obsolete.

1. without form; formless.

inform

¹

/ ɪnˈfɔːm, ɪnˈfɔːmɪdlɪ /

verb

1. (tr; often foll by of or about) to give information to; tell

2. (tr; often foll by of or about) to make conversant (with)

3. (intr; often foll by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc

4. to give form to

5. to impart some essential or formative characteristic to

6. (tr) to animate or inspire

7. obsolete,  (tr)

   1. to train or educate

   2. to report

inform

²

/ ɪnˈfɔːm /

adjective

1. archaic,  without shape; unformed

Other Word Forms

• informedly adverb
• informable adjective
• informingly adverb
• half-informing adjective
• half-informingly adverb
• uninforming adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inform¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English enfo(u)rmen, informen, from Old French enfo(u)rmer, from Latin infōrmāre “to form, shape,” equivalent to in- in- ² + fōrmāre “to form ”

Origin of inform²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin informis “formless, deformed,” equivalent to in- in- ³ + -formis -form

Word History and Origins

Origin of inform¹

C14: from Latin informāre to give form to, describe, from formāre to _form

Origin of inform²

C16: from Latin informis from _in- ¹ + forma shape

Example Sentences

Thank you for informing me of your decision to resign from the Government.

From BBC

The statement also said the company had "issued three Field Safety Notices in 2024 to all UK users, informing them of a potential positive bias issue."

From BBC

Erin’s murder drove the A-plot, often weaving down the road through an obstacle course of misdirects and MacGuffins as the mystery of her life informed her death.

From Salon

When another officer took over the indecent images investigation and was informed of the report of blackmail, it was discovered that the text had been sent from Thompson's personal mobile phone.

From BBC

Catherine and William will also be shown how technology is being used to inform the Natural History Museum's research diversity projects and conservation.

From BBC

Related Words

• advise 
• apprise 
• brief 
• caution 
• educate 
• instruct 
• notify 
• tell 
• update 
• warn