aspiration

noun

as·​pi·​ra·​tion ˌa-spə-ˈrā-shən 

1

a

: a strong desire to achieve something high or great

an aspiration to become famous

—usually plural

a young man with political/literary aspirations

b

: an object of such desire

An acting career is her aspiration.

2

: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by or as if by suction: such as

a

: the act of breathing and especially of breathing in

b

: the withdrawal (as by suction) of fluid or tissue from the body

the aspiration of stomach fluids

c

: the taking of foreign matter into the lungs with the respiratory current

problems caused by the aspiration of fluids into the patient's lungs

3

linguistics

a

: audible breath that accompanies or comprises a speech sound

b

: the pronunciation or addition of an aspiration

the aspiration of the letter "h" in "a house"

also : the symbol of an aspiration

Synonyms of aspiration

• ambition

Choose the Right Synonym for aspiration

ambition, aspiration, pretension mean strong desire for advancement.

ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire.

driven by ambition

aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

an aspiration to become president someday

pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

has literary pretensions

Examples of aspiration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, this is a work that speaks directly to both the nation’s richest history and highest aspirations. —Douglas Brinkley, USA Today, 24 May 2026

Announcing its hardcore aspirations with a moody steel-blue palette that suffuses the rural setting with dread, the film takes place almost entirely on a remote cow farm, the home of a mixed-race family of three. —Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 May 2026

Macron’s highest aspirations to, as a modern Talleyrand, inject himself and solve global issues such as Ukraine, Africa’s Sahel, Syria, Lebanon, or Iran have fallen short, degenerated into petty feuds, or backfired. —Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026

The film centers on White, a talented tuner whose acute sensitivity to sound, caused by a hearing condition that ended his own aspirations as a pianist, becomes his greatest asset. —Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for aspiration

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

aspiration

noun

as·​pi·​ra·​tion ˌas-pə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: pronunciation with or as an aspirate

2

: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by suction

3

a

: a strong desire to achieve something high or great

b

: an object of such desire

Medical Definition

aspiration

noun

as·​pi·​ra·​tion ˌas-pə-ˈrā-shən 

: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by or as if by suction: as

a

: the act of breathing and especially of breathing in

b

: the withdrawal of fluid or friable tissue from the body

c

: the taking of foreign matter into the lungs with the respiratory current

aspirational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective