as in candidates
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
a debate between the two aspirants for the highest office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of aspirants
Some people defended Altman’s business acumen and dismissed his rivals, especially Sutskever and Amodei, as failed aspirants to his throne.
—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
That neutrality could come at a cost, some experts say, should the two GOP aspirants prevail.
—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
This time around, absent Wilson or other prominent Black aspirants, those voters would be likely to vote for Johnson.
—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Many aspirants, like Yusuf, consider jars of skin lightening cream to be essential, along with access to exclusive gyms and going to the right hair salon.
—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Despite many aspirants and imitators, there really hasn’t been anything like it since.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, both incumbent members of Congress and aspirants will be running in districts that have been radically gerrymandered to shrink Republicans’ tiny delegation even more, as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress.
—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
23 Dec. 2025
There are also seven private villas—airy, palatial, ideal for families or James Bond aspirants—along with an expansion set to be unveiled in 2026.
—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Both men reflect a cohort of youthful African aspirants aiming to ride popular disenchantments with governments to high office.
—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
That neutrality could come at a cost, some experts say, should the two GOP aspirants prevail.
—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
This time around, absent Wilson or other prominent Black aspirants, those voters would be likely to vote for Johnson.
—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Many aspirants, like Yusuf, consider jars of skin lightening cream to be essential, along with access to exclusive gyms and going to the right hair salon.
—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Despite many aspirants and imitators, there really hasn’t been anything like it since.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, both incumbent members of Congress and aspirants will be running in districts that have been radically gerrymandered to shrink Republicans’ tiny delegation even more, as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress.
—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
23 Dec. 2025
There are also seven private villas—airy, palatial, ideal for families or James Bond aspirants—along with an expansion set to be unveiled in 2026.
—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Both men reflect a cohort of youthful African aspirants aiming to ride popular disenchantments with governments to high office.
—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspirants
Noun
-
Younger, more far left candidates across the nation, from California to Indiana, are running this year to try and oust older, longtime congressional incumbents — angering Democratic Party leaders.
-
Despite identical resume content, the evaluators judged women candidates much more harshly for using AI assistance than men.
Noun
-
Some states have argued that requiring applicants to provide documentary proof of their citizenship could pose a significant barrier to voting because several forms of government ID don't include citizenship information, and many Americans don't have passports.
-
The attorneys general challenged several of its directives, including a provision that required state and local officials to collect proof of citizenship from vote-by-mail applicants.
Noun
-
Other potential 2028 contenders are also beginning to stake out their positions on AI.
-
Several Olympic medal contenders surprisingly exited early, adding pressure for future events.
Cite this Entry
“Aspirants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspirants. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
