aspirational

adjective

as·​pi·​ra·​tion·​al ˌa-spə-ˈrā-sh(ə-)nəl 

: of, relating to, or characterized by aspiration

aspirational goals

: such as

a

: having or showing a desire to achieve a high level of success or social status

… private schools are patronised … by parents struggling to produce intelligent, clear-thinking, disciplined, polite, aspirational children …

—Katie Grant

b

: associated with or suggestive of a high level of success and social status and therefore appealing to people who aspire to such status

aspirational brands/products

aspirationally adverb

Examples of aspirational in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What began as an aspirational fantasy soon transformed into something far larger, the creation of a movement. —Elisa Bocanegra, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026

Union and hubby Dwyane Wade attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where the Academy Awards beauty bounty overflowed into even more enviable fashion and aspirational hair, makeup, and nail looks. —Marci Robin, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026

Now, though, with debris from Iranian drones raining down, their lifestyles are looking rather less aspirational. —The Week Uk, TheWeek, 14 Mar. 2026

And men can be aspirational or loose with the facts about their shoe size, because shoes themselves are so variable. —Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

aspiration + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aspirational

• avocational
• calculational
• combinational
• computational
• conformational
• confrontational
• congregational
• conversational
• correlational
• deformational
• derivational
• educational