aspiring

adjective

aspir·​ing ə-ˈspī-riŋ 

: desiring and working to achieve a particular goal : having aspirations to attain a specified profession, position, etc.

an aspiring actor [=a person who aspires to be and is trying to become an actor]

an aspiring novelist

Synonyms

• ambitious

Examples of aspiring in a Sentence

an aspiring young pianist eager to win the prestigious competition

Recent Examples on the Web

Head back to 2005 with Herbie: Fully Loaded, which stars Lohan as Maggie, an aspiring race car driver who ends up behind the wheel of the iconic Love Bug, Herbie, who first appeared in a movie back in 1968. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 21 Aug. 2025

The star penned Model Behavior, a motivational guide that was released as an e-book in 2012 and in paperback one year later, and launched several online workshops for aspiring models. —James Mercadante, EW.com, 19 Aug. 2025

The adventurous nonprofit presents unique chamber-music concerts in unusual venues and runs Young Artists in Harmony, a program in which Art of Elan musicians mentor aspiring composers. —Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025

These scholarships give aspiring DJs access to education and mentorship, regardless of financial situation. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aspiring

• acquiring
• admiring
• conspiring
• enquiring
• expiring
• inspiring
• perspiring
• rehiring
• retiring
• untiring
• firing
• hiring