Definition of aspiration
1a : a strong desire to achieve something high or great an aspiration to become famous —usually plural a young man with political/literary aspirationsb : 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 asa : the act of breathing and especially of breathing inb : the withdrawal of fluid or tissue from the body the aspiration of stomach fluidsc : 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 soundb : the pronunciation or addition of an aspiration the aspiration of the letter “h” in “a house”; also : the symbol of an aspiration
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of aspiration from the Web
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Yet the world’s most populous country remains heavily reliant on coal to generate electricity and power its steel mills — a habit that could be hard to break without stifling its economic aspirations.
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The team with World Series aspirations couldn’t continue trying to hide a reliever who for much of the season was unable to record three outs without the opposing team scoring, often scoring at will.
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Elgin created a committee that held annual fundraisers were held to raise money for Elgin's political aspirations, and employees were expected to buy tickets, according to prosecutors.
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But as the years passed, and her mid-market business chugged along, Trump’s high-end aspirations struggled to gain traction.
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Last June, Ahmed narrowed her career aspirations following a three-week study abroad at the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland.
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But her grand aspirations match those of an untapped audience that has been waiting for years to see Princess Diana take on the big screen.
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What are your plans and aspirations heading forward?
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Beyond the tasks of fighting a world champion on hostile ground, Spence understands the pressure this fight puts on his future aspirations.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aspiration'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
14th Century
First Known Use of aspiration
14th century
Synonym Discussion of aspiration
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
ASPIRATION Defined for Kids
aspiration
playDefinition of aspiration for Students
1 : a strong desire to achieve something She left home with aspirations for a better life.
2 : something that one wants very much to achieve Fame has always been his aspiration.
Medical Dictionary
aspiration
playMedical Definition of aspiration
: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by or as if by suction: asa: the act of breathing and especially of breathing inb: the withdrawal of fluid or friable tissue from the bodyc: the taking of foreign matter into the lungs with the respiratory current
Learn More about aspiration
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See words that rhyme with aspiration Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for aspiration Spanish Central: Translation of aspiration Nglish: Translation of aspiration for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of aspiration for Arabic speakers
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