inform

Q: What does "inform" mean?

1. (to tell or notify) to give someone information or tell them about a fact. 2. (to influence or shape) to be the main idea or feeling that influences how something is made or done. 3. (to report to authorities) to give information to the police or authorities about someone who has done something wrong.

Q: Is it correct to say "I informed him the news."?

No — say "I informed him of the news.". When you tell someone about a specific topic using 'inform', you must use the preposition 'of'.

Word

01to tell or notify

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to give someone information or tell them about a fact.

v. to impart knowledge or communicate specific facts to a person. Transitive — requires a direct object, often followed by 'of' or a 'that' clause.

“Please inform the office if your contact details change during the year.”

“The company failed to inform its shareholders of the potential risks before the merger was finalised.”

Pitfall

I informed him the news.

I informed him of the news.

When you tell someone about a specific topic using 'inform', you must use the preposition 'of'.

Synonyms

tell notify advise

Antonyms

conceal hide

02to influence or shape

C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal

v. to be the main idea or feeling that influences how something is made or done.

v. to imbue with a quality or to be the characterising force behind an action, theory, or creative work.

“Her research on climate change helped inform the government's new laws.”

“A deep sense of social justice informs every chapter of the author's latest novel, providing a moral framework for the characters' choices.”

Synonyms

influence shape guide

03to report to authorities

C1 · Advanced Law Formal

v. to give information to the police or authorities about someone who has done something wrong.

v. to provide incriminating information about a person to the authorities. Intransitive — typically used with the preposition 'on'.

“He was afraid that his business partner might inform on him to the police.”

“The witness was reluctant to inform on his associates, fearing retaliation from the criminal organisation.”

Usage

Usually takes the preposition 'on' followed by the person being reported.

Synonyms

denounce snitch betray

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “inform” in context.

Verb

01. fully inform

“Patients must be fully informed of the risks before they consent to the surgery.”

adv + verb

02. inform design

“User experience data is essential to inform the design of the mobile application.”

verb + noun

03. inform development

“The feedback from the pilot study will inform the development of the new software.”

verb + noun

04. inform policy

“Scientific evidence should be used to inform policy decisions regarding public health.”

verb + noun

05. inform research

“These preliminary findings will inform research projects in the coming year.”

verb + noun

06. inform understanding

“Historical context helps to inform our understanding of current political tensions.”

verb + noun

07. well inform

“Reading diverse news sources will help to well inform your perspective on global issues.”

adv + verb

“The score should inform your decision – not make it.”

The Conversation 18 Aug 2026

“Other banks may inform their EU-based clients that they cannot keep their account open.”

The Local 18 Aug 2026

“Tedros said “global evidence and recommendations, including from WHO” inform national experts to determine which vaccines and schedules are best for their country.”

UN News 12 Aug 2026

From Middle English informen, enformen, borrowed from Old French enformer, informer (“to train, instruct, inform”), from Latin īnfōrmō (“to shape, form, train, instruct, educate”), from in- (“into”) + fōrma (“form, shape”), equivalent to in- + form.

From Latin īnfōrmis.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

VERB

inform(B2)

NOUN

ADJECTIVE