Synonym Chooser

How is the word aspiration different from other nouns like it?

The words ambition and pretension are common synonyms of aspiration. While all three words mean "strong desire for advancement," aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

an aspiration to become president someday

When is it sensible to use ambition instead of aspiration?

Although the words ambition and aspiration have much in common, ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire.

driven by ambition

In what contexts can pretension take the place of aspiration?

While in some cases nearly identical to aspiration, pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

has literary pretensions

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 aspiration Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025 But what are sports about if not hope and aspiration? Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025 But the aspiration is alive and well for the 379,000 U.S. citizens who became millionaires last year. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 June 2025 Your Virgo horoscope for July 2025 finds Cancer season advising your seventh house of community, networking, and aspiration. Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for aspiration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiration
Noun
  • Nevertheless, Infantino’s remarks show ambition to enact what would be a seismic change to how professional men’s soccer has operated in the United States.
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • The damage to the nuclear facilities from Israeli and U.S. strikes and Israel's killing of nuclear scientists may well be a setback for nuclear weapons ambitions – which Iran had denied – such facilities can be rebuilt and Iran now has the know-how to be able to build nuclear weapons.
    Matthew Tostevin Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • After being shut out in the group stage opener, Man City's superstar Erling Haaland has caught fire, scoring a goal in each of their past two matches.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
  • Our goals are to return to holding youth accountable for their actions while simultaneously providing them with the necessary resources and programming to get them back on track for success.
    Ivan J. Bates, Baltimore Sun, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • The purpose of the grants is to address the climate crisis and various environmental harms at the local level.
    Tracy J. Wholf June 26, CBS News, 26 June 2025
  • Users can examine the prompts and the chats that made those examples possible and even modify them for their own purposes.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • The aim is to remove tariffs and other trade barriers to ease the movement of goods in a continent of around 1.5 billion inhabitants.
    Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
  • For them, the aim is not to hinder the use of AI, but to provide a voice for their members who want a seat at the table and an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with employers to ensure that AI use supports rather than harms employees.
    Oludolapo Makinde, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Worries about environmental effects have also been at the forefront, as groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity and the Friends of the Everglades filed a lawsuit Friday to halt the detention center plans.
    Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
  • Muon Space plans for the constellation to be able to scan every point on Earth every 20 minutes, with more wildfire prone areas being scanned more frequently.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Hotchkiss School in Connecticut was born out of Maria Harrison Bissell Hotchkiss’ discussions with Yale President Timothy Dwight V with the explicit intention of preparing young men to attend Yale.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • However, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of physicians have the best of intentions, these new rules will have a chilling effect on both veterans seeking health care and providers caring for them.
    Flavia Mangan Colgan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Tailor content to match their stage, intent and platform behavior to actually drive results.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • This phrase has a clear intent and a violent legacy, and its impact is not theoretical.
    Lisa Katz, New York Daily News, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • This idea reflects Glass’s approach to whisky making.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • If your idea of a good country getaway requires a stop by an antique mall, then add the Blue Moon Antique Mall and Bookstore to your list.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Aspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiration. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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