How to pronounce inspiration
Say it like in-spuh-RAY-shun. Inspiration has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inspiration. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- spuh
- RAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inspiration pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- spuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of inspiration
American and British speakers say inspiration in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-spih-RAY-shun.
What does inspiration mean?
- arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
- a product of your creative thinking and work“he had little respect for the inspirations of other artists”“after years of work his brainchild was a tangible reality”
- a sudden intuition as part of solving a problem
Where does inspiration come from?
From Middle English inspiracioun, from Old French inspiration, from Late Latin īnspīrātiōnem (nominative: īnspīrātiō), from Latin īnspīrātus (past participle of inspīrō).
Words that rhyme with inspiration
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of inspiration.
Questions about saying inspiration
How do you pronounce inspiration?
Say in-spuh-RAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inspiration?
Inspiration has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAY). Broken into parts: in · spuh · RAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say inspiration the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.