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

• ambition
• ambitiousness
• go-getting

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

Other comments reflect pride in China’s peacemaking aspirations and draw comparisons between the Palestinians’ struggles and China’s past experiences with colonialism. —Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2023

Jesse Dominguez had the same aspirations many in Los Angeles do: to be an actor. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023

What comes up for me is that the Palestinian public can be forced to disregard their national aspirations. —Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023

Palestinian aspirations must be addressed, with potentially a political horizon towards a two-state solution, which will require genuine concessions, commitment, and good-faith dealmaking from Israeli and Palestinian officials alike. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023

While reflecting on his journey to becoming a novelist, Hackman shared his son’s early career aspirations during a January 2020 interview with Empire magazine. —Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 19 Nov. 2023

Solid, foundational humanity—community, caring—moved from legitimate aspiration to naive teenage daydream. —Raven Smith, Vogue, 15 Nov. 2023

Ignoring the national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis won’t solve their conflict. —Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 15 Nov. 2023

Questions to Learn About Your Toddler Nearly all questions will give you a glimpse into your child's inner world, but those focusing on aspirations, security, and fears push back the curtain even further, explains Dr. Talley. —Christin Perry, Parents, 13 Nov. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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