For most sentences the handiest inform synonym is tell, with notify, advise, let know and update close behind. They all pass news to someone, but they differ a lot in tone: notify sounds like a letter from an office, while let know sounds like a friend.
Inform also has two quieter meanings. Research can inform a policy, meaning it shapes it, and a person can inform on a neighbor, meaning report them. Both senses get their own lists further down, next to the preposition rules that catch so many writers.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
tell, notify, advise, let know, updatePart of speech
VerbMost formal
apprise, notify, adviseMost casual
fill in, clue in, give a heads-upAntonyms
withhold, conceal, keep in the darkWatch out
Inform takes a person as its object. Write inform the team of the change, never inform the change to the team.Word forms covered
informs, informed, informing
Inform synonym table by meaning
| Sense | Words | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Pass on news | tell, notify, advise, update, brief | Please notify the front desk if you check out early. |
| Warn in advance | alert, forewarn, tip off | Someone tipped off the reporters before the vote. |
| Shape thinking | shape, influence, underpin, feed into | Survey results fed into the new menu. |
| Report a person | report, tell on, turn in | A coworker reported him to security. |
Grammar: who gets told, and about what
The patterns are not identical, so check yours before you swap.
- inform someone of or about something, or that something happened
- notify someone of something; you can also notify a change to an office in formal British use
- advise someone of something or that (formal, common in business letters)
- tell someone something, with no preposition needed: tell her the date
- let someone know: let me know once the shipment clears customs
- apprise someone of something (very formal)
Explain is a different pattern again: you explain something to someone. Compare it on the explain synonyms page.
How tone rises from fill in to apprise
Our chip strip ranks five options by formality. Fill in belongs in chat: could someone fill me in on Monday. Let know is warm and polite in any email. Tell is neutral. Notify suits notices, forms and official messages, often in the passive: winners will be notified by phone. Apprise is rare and stiff, mostly found in legal or senior management writing.
A friendly email to a client rarely needs anything above tell or let know.
Swapping inform in workplace messages
- We will inform you when the parcel ships. Better: We will let you know when the parcel ships.
- I am writing to inform you of a change in hours. Better: I am writing to tell you about a change in hours.
- Please inform HR of any absence. More formal: Please notify HR of any absence.
- She informed the board before the launch. More precise: She briefed the board before the launch.
- Keep me informed. Friendlier: Keep me posted.
A manager's message: "I wanted to inform everyone that the office closes at noon Friday." Changing it to a quick heads-up: the office closes at noon Friday cuts words and sounds human. Save inform for formal notices.
Office writers can find more polished verbs in our workplace word hub.
Informs, informed, informing
The swaps keep their usual endings: informs becomes tells or notifies; informed becomes told or advised; informing becomes briefing or updating.
The adjective informed is a separate case. An informed choice is a well-judged, educated or knowledgeable choice, and a well-informed reader is well-read or up to date. For the shaping sense in essays, writers often say research underpins or guides a policy, and the guide synonyms page covers that angle.
Tempting swaps that misfire
Announce means tell many people at once, so you announce a result to your sister, but you cannot announce your sister of it. Communicate and convey take the message as the object, not the listener: convey the news to the team. See convey synonyms for that pattern. Teach and educate suggest building skill over time rather than passing on a single item of news.
For inform on someone, be careful with tone. Snitch on and rat on are slang and sound scornful; report is neutral.
Frequently asked questions
Which inform swap sounds best in a polite email?
Let you know is the warmest choice and fits almost any email. Tell is fine too. Notify and advise work in formal notices but can feel cold in a personal note.
Is notify more formal than inform?
They are about equal, but notify suggests an official message, often about a change or a deadline. Inform is slightly broader and can describe casual sharing as well.
Can I write advise instead of inform?
Yes, in business English: please advise us of any delay. Be aware that advise also means give advice, so the sentence must make the meaning clear.
Which verbs mean keeping news back?
Withhold, conceal and keep in the dark describe not passing on news. Misinform and mislead mean passing on wrong news.
Does inform also mean influence?
Yes, in formal writing. Her travels informed her art means they shaped it. Shape, influence and underpin work as replacements in that sense.
Is apprise the same word as appraise?
No. Apprise means inform: apprise the client of the risks. Appraise means judge the value of something, such as a house or a ring.