as in candidates
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
a debate between the two aspirants for the highest office
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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
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Morgan and Tilis have other potential extensions to sort out over the next few months, as cornerback Mike Jackson and quarterback Bryce Young are among potential candidates for new deals.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
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Despite differing views on candidates and issues, voters interviewed at the Pip Moyer Recreation Center agreed on the importance of participating in the democratic process.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The Justice Department said last month that UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine intentionally used race for the last three years to discriminate against white and Asian applicants during admissions.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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He was chosen out of 18,000 applicants to become one of 12 astronauts in the pilot program and graduated three years later in 2020 to officially become an astronaut.—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Other contenders competing for the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor in the May 2026 primaries include State Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth; 2022 Republican governor nominee and former State Senator Scott Jensen; State Representative Kristin Robbins; and Minnesota lawyer Chris Madell.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
11 Dec. 2025
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Money talks One early feature of the Democratic primaries is how well-funded the incoming and younger contenders are, especially compared to older incumbents.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aspirants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspirants. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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