Transpire – Definition & Examples

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Do you want to widen your vocabulary? Today’s word is transpire. It’s a fancier and more formal way to say occur or happen, and I actually use it a lot in my fiction writing to mix up my repetitive words. But it also has a scientific definition that involves pores and vapor.

Keep reading to understand the meaning of transpire as a transitive and intransitive verb. You’ll also learn its origin, pronunciation, and how to use it in a sentence.

Transpire Definition

Transpire is a verb that means to take place or to become known or apparent.

In science, transpiration, or the process of transpiring, occurs when something gives off vaporous material or passes in the form of a vapor.

Another meaning of the verb transpire is to give off or give passage through pores or interstices. We usually use this verb when a fluid excretes to vapor.

The inflections of transpire include transpires, transpiring, and transpired. It is a regular verb since its inflections follow standard patterns.

Transpire Origin

Transpire comes from the Latin word spirare, meaning breathe. This word was used in the context of vapor coming through the skin or other membrane’s pores. Later on, people used it figuratively to mean escape or be known.

Transpire Ngram
Trend of the word Transpire over the years.

How to Pronounce Transpire

The correct pronunciation of transpire is tran-spai-ur.

What Part of Speech is Transpire?

Transpire is a verb. It is usually an intransitive verb, meaning it does not have a direct object. Only the fourth definition of transpire, which is to give off or give passage through pores or interstices, is considered a transitive verb.

What is the Best Synonym for Transpire?

I whipped up a few alternatives to the word transpire.

  • Be.
  • Come about.
  • Go on.
  • Happen.
  • Occur.
  • Hap.
  • Pass.
  • Cook.
  • Come down.
  • Come off.
  • Befall.

How Do You Use Transpire in a Sentence?

  • These desires and realizations might transpire once I’m secure and ready to settle down.
  • I don’t want to know what ideas transpire in these terrible people’s minds.
  • The Battle of Stalingrad was a historic battle that transpired on the Eastern Front of World War II.
  • Plants transpire when it’s humid and warm.
  • There was a point during the offseason when it looked like the New York Knicks were not just going to add Jalen Brunson but also Donovan Mitchell. As we now know that didn’t exactly transpire. [Sir Charles In Charge]
  • Beyond this reasoning, some also believe that Google may have leaked when the next Nintendo Direct is going to transpire. When searching for “Nintendo Direct” on Google right now, the first result you’ll get stems from Nintendo’s official site. [Comic Book]

Widen Your English Vocabulary

Widening your vocabulary doesn’t necessarily mean using profound, pretentious words that no one understands. Sometimes, it entails using transpire instead of occur.

I hope I helped you understand the definition of the verb transpire and how to use it in a sentence. What other words do you want to learn about?