aspire

verb

as·​pire ə-ˈspī(-ə)r How to pronounce aspire (audio)
aspired; aspiring

intransitive verb

1
: to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal
She aspired to a career in medicine.
2
aspirer noun

Examples of aspire in a Sentence

aspire to great deeds, and you have a better chance of doing good deeds a tower aspiring towards the heavens
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Prioritize Your Media Presence My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to prioritize building a media presence from day one. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 Vega was an exotic dancer and aspiring personal trainer, her father Tom Pillsbury told Dateline. Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024 The oldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr., who also is an aspiring college golfer and social media influencer, has been busy sharing family photos and videos ever since her grandfather’s stunning Nov. 5 victory over Kamala Harris. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024 But early the next morning, on Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militants stormed the Nova music festival where Alon, 22 years old and an aspiring jazz pianist, had gone with friends. Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for aspire 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French aspirer, from Latin aspirare, literally, to breathe upon, from ad- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aspire was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near aspire

Cite this Entry

“Aspire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspire. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

aspire

verb
as·​pire ə-ˈspī(ə)r How to pronounce aspire (audio)
aspired; aspiring
: to work to get something high or great
aspirer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on aspire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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