Which to use
“inquire” and “inspire” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #17,646
- “inquire” frequency rank
- #7,142
- “inspire” frequency rank
- 24788
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | inquire | inspire |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To ask (about something). | To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set inquire and inspire apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. inquire (/ɪnˈkwaɪə/) and inspire (/ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 24788, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
inquire is recorded at frequency rank #17,646, classified as averb, pronounced /ɪnˈkwaɪə/. inspire is at rank #7,142, tagged as averb, pronounced /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 24788, this pair ranks #399,303 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of inquire vs inspire
Shared letters: einr. Private to "inquire": qu. Private to "inspire": ps.
"inquire" · 7 letters · shape VCCVVCV · "inspire" · 7 letters · shape VCCCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "inquire" and "inspire" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "inquire" or "inspire"?
Remembering inquire vs inspire
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “inquire” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable