aspire
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, especially for something great or of high value (usually followed by to, after, or an infinitive).
to aspire after literary immortality; to aspire to be a doctor.
- Synonyms:
- yearn
-
Archaic. to rise up; soar; mount; tower.
verb
-
to yearn (for) or have a powerful or ambitious plan, desire, or hope (to do or be something)
to aspire to be a great leader
-
to rise to a great height
Related Words
See ambitious
Other Word Forms
- aspirer noun
- aspiring adjective
- aspiringly adverb
- nonaspiring adjective
- unaspiring adjective
- unaspiringly adverb
Etymology
Origin of aspire
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French aspirer, from Latin aspīrāre “to breathe upon, pant after,” from a- a- 5 + spīrāre “to breathe, blow”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Our aspiring footballers come from marginalised families, and it is often not possible for them to provide financial support," said Prince, a women's football organiser.
From Barron's
DAVILA: I certainly aspire for us to be a household name.
High home prices and elevated mortgage rates kept many aspiring home buyers on the sidelines, and many homeowners from selling their properties, in 2025.
From MarketWatch
"We need energy for Nepal's change," the 49-year-old aspiring prime minister told AFP, saying his candidacy represented a break from decades of rule by a tight-knit and ageing elite.
From Barron's
Most seem to have been aspiring to emulate the musical “Cabaret” rather than the invasion of Poland.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
