- (transitive; often followed by of or about) to give information to; tell
- (transitive; often followed by of or about) to make conversant (with)
- (intransitive; often followed by against or on) to give information regarding criminals, as to the police, etc
- to give form to
- to impart some essential or formative characteristic to
- (transitive) to animate or inspire
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•form1 /ɪnˈfɔrm/USA pronunciation
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to give knowledge of a fact to (someone);
tell: [~ + object]We informed them, so they should have come.[~ + object + of/about + object]We informed them of our arrival. We informed them about our plans.[~ + object + (that) clause]We informed the press that the president had arrived. - to give information indicating that someone has committed a crime, as to the police:[~ + on/against + object]informed on the other members of the gang.
in•form1
(in fôrm′),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
in•form′a•ble, adj.
in•form′ing•ly, adv.
in•form2 (in fôrm′),USA pronunciation adj. [Obs.]
- to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to:He informed them of his arrival.
- to supply (oneself ) with knowledge of a matter or subject:She informed herself of all the pertinent facts.
- to give evident substance, character, or distinction to;
pervade or permeate with manifest effect:A love of nature informed his writing. - to animate or inspire.
- [Obs.]
- to train or instruct.
- to make known;
disclose. - to give or impart form to.
v.i.
- to give information;
supply knowledge or enlightenment:a magazine that entertains more than it informs. - inform on, to furnish incriminating evidence about (someone) to an authority, prosecuting officer, etc.:He informed on his accomplices.
- Latin, as above
- Middle French enfourmer
- Latin infōrmāre to form, shape, equivalent. to in- in-2 + fōrmāre to form; replacing Middle English enfourmen
- Middle English informen 1275–1325
in•form′ing•ly, adv.
- 1. apprise; notify, advise, tell. 2. acquaint.
in•form2 (in fôrm′),USA pronunciation adj. [Obs.]
- without form;
formless.
- Latin informis formless, deformed, equivalent. to in- in-3 + -formis -form
- 1545–55
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
inform /ɪnˈfɔːm/ vb