n.1. the act of drawing air into the lungs. 2. in cognitive psychology, a sudden insight or leap in understanding that produces new, creative ideas or approaches to a problem. See aha experience; discontinuity hypothesis. 3. the process of being aroused or stimulated to do something, or the quality of being so aroused, as in Her speech gave us the inspiration we needed. —inspirationaladj.—inspirevb.—inspiredadj.