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 of aspiring

• ambitious

Examples of aspiring in a Sentence

an aspiring young pianist eager to win the prestigious competition

Recent Examples on the Web

Leventhal applauded the staff at the DCPA for helping set up such an experience for an aspiring professional musician. —Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026

Elle Fanning stars as Margo Millet, an aspiring writer who decides to make money fast via OnlyFans; Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman play her parents, a former Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026

For aspiring homeowners, saving up for a down payment on that first home can be a long slog. —Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026

Slate is a refreshing outlier among the aspiring new electric vehicle OEMs. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 13 Apr. 2026

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