aspiration

noun as·pi·ra·tion \ ˌas-pə-ˈrā-shən \

|Updated on: 22 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Definition of aspiration

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

See aspiration defined for English-language learners

See aspiration defined for kids

Recent Examples of aspiration from the Web

Every mural, Tia says, tells a story, and the new one, a triptych, is about the aspirations of a neighborhood emerging from hard times.

— crocker stephenson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Better Angels: Tia Richardson's newest mural is one neighborhood's vision of better things to come," 5 July 2018
Mike, raised in Jordan, migrated to San Francisco with the aspiration of becoming a pilot.

— jonathan kauffman, SFChronicle.com, "Upon retiring, the story of the couple behind the Tenderloin’s most-loved deli," 28 June 2018
Zaev needs wide public support to pass a constitutional amendment in exchange for Greece to stop blocking the country’s aspirations of joining the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

— slav okov and elizabeth konstantinova, BostonGlobe.com, "Macedonian president attempts to block name deal," 27 June 2018
Facebook's limited forensics around false news in Mexico show how the company's aspiration of keeping elections honest globally is still out of reach for the social network, despite the prominent role its service has come to play in many societies.

— chicagotribune.com, "Facebook's battle against fake news reaches Mexico ahead of July 1 election," 23 June 2018
The plan represented the latest aspiration of a presidential administration to revamp a sprawling federal government.

— NBC News, "White House proposes merging education, labor departments," 21 June 2018
But Trump has gone further, all but shedding the democratic aspirations long touted as the bedrock of U.S. foreign policy.

— eli stokols, latimes.com, "Trump voices admiration and envy of Kim Jong Un, underscoring his respect for autocrats," 15 June 2018
The aspiration began during the cross country season in the fall, when boys Runner of the Year Nick Deamer won the individual title and powered the Lions to their first team championship in 40 years.

— kyle stackpole, Howard County Times, "Howard boys track and field seeking county triple crown at outdoor league championships," 3 May 2018
Years ago, Congress demanded the federal government reshape the rules of American airspace to satisfy the aspirations of drone photographers and Amazon delivery UAVs.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Dallas Flyers Club: What Uber's Flying Taxi Future Feels Like," 2 May 2018

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.

First Known Use of aspiration

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 3

See Words from the same year

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aspiration Synonyms

Synonyms

ambition, ambitiousness, go-getting;

Near Antonyms

apathy, halfheartedness, indifference, unconcern;

idleness, indolence, inertia, laziness, lethargy, shiftlessness, sloth;

aggression, competitiveness, killer instinct;

opportunism, overambitiousness, pretentiousness, pushiness;

assertiveness, daring, spirit;

ardor, avidity, eagerness, keenness, passion;

avarice, greed, hunger;

Synonym Discussion of 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.