Inspire vs Aspire – Learn the difference between the 2 words

Inspire vs Aspire: Inspire

Inspire is a transitive verb. (X inspires Y)

Inspire means; to make someone have a particular strong feeling; to make someone feel that they want to do something and can do it.

• His heroic achievements inspired many students.
• She inspired her children to do their best in the exam.
• We were inspired by his success.

Inspire vs Aspire: Aspire

Aspire is an intransitive verb. (X aspires.)

Aspire means; to want something very much; to hope to achieve something or to be successful.

• aspire to sth: Most of his students aspired to a career in business.
• aspire to do sth: We aspire to become full-service providers to our clients.
• I aspire to be the best in my field during my graduate studies.

Summary: Inspire vs Aspire

We can inspire someone. When we inspire someone we fill them with the urge to do something or to feel something. So, inspire is about something that is not within us, but external. (external effect).

However, aspire means to hope, to have a strong desire to achieve something. Thus, aspire is about internal effect, it is about something within us.