Notify: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes

Meaning 1：inform officially (notify)

notify 🔊

/ˈnoʊtɪfaɪ/

vt.

to officially tell someone about something

Notify definition illustrated by a smartphone showing an official email notification alert.

inform officially 🔊

➕

/ɪnˈfɔːrm əˈfɪʃəli/

vt.

To formally or officially inform someone about a fact, event, or situation, often requiring action or acknowledgment from the recipient.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'notificare' ('notus' = known + 'facere' = to make), meaning 'to make known'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: A formal NOTE is sent to IDENTIFY and inform. NOTE + I-FY (to make) = to make something noted.

📖 Example

The school will notify all parents by email if classes are cancelled due to bad weather. 🔊 The school will inform all parents officially via email if classes are cancelled because of bad weather.

🔗 Collocations

notify someone of something – to formally inform someone about a specific matter

notify in writing – to inform someone using a written document

notify immediately – to inform someone without any delay

🔄 Synonyms

inform (vt.) – a general term for telling someone something; less formal than notify

advise (vt.) – to formally give information or a warning; often used in official contexts

alert (vt.) – to warn someone about a danger or problem, requiring immediate attention

🚫 Antonyms

withhold information (v. phrase) – to deliberately not give information to someone

conceal (vt.) – to keep something secret or hidden

🌱 Derivatives

notification (n.) – the act of notifying or the letter, message, etc. used to notify

notifiable (adj.) – required by law to be reported to an official authority

📖 Cultural Story

Entered English via Old French 'notifier' in the 14th century, rooted in Latin. Its formal, official connotation makes it essential in modern legal, administrative, and digital communication contexts (e.g., email notifications, official letters).