ASPIRATION Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

aspiration

noun

ˌa-spə-ˈrā-shən

Definition of aspiration

as in ambition

eager desire for personal advancement a combination of aspiration and hard work made her the top tennis player in the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in goal

something that one hopes or intends to accomplish college is his immediate aspiration after he graduates from high school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Presented as a new 4K restoration, Ové’s Pressure follows Tony (Herbert Norville), who is caught between his Trinidadian parents’ aspirations for assimilation and his activist brother’s contempt for his racist new home. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026 Dawson turned the feedback into a visual installation featuring hundreds of handwritten words on sticky notes representing the community's hopes and aspirations. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 The other shoots rockets into space and has aspirations to make it to Mars. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 For a program that entered the season with aspirations of reaching the College Football Playoff, Kiffin needs to win out to feel good about finishing in playoff position. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aspiration

Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiration

Noun

In March 2026, China approved the world’s first commercially available brain-computer interface medical device, a milestone that pointed to ambitions extending well beyond low-cost production or fast-follow imitation.

— Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
With Russia and China increasing their footprint and ambition, the Arctic has become a front line of global power competition.

— Lee Ying Shan,Matthew Tan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambition

Noun

Only 11% said leaving something for the kids is their top financial goal.

— Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Securing public money for them raises issues over church-state separation but fulfills a longstanding goal for Christian conservatives, who lobbied for this funding.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of goal

Noun

Its purpose is to help eliminate malignant cells that may remain after surgery, reducing the chance of another tumor taking hold.

— Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
The decor nods to her career without losing sight of the hotel’s purpose as a place to unwind after a day exploring Music City.

— Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of purpose

Noun

Hamas, however, was wedded to its radical Islamist ideology —the destruction of the Jewish state — and used the funds to advance its war aims.

— Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
The aim is to bring the experience of a hypercar to people who might not be able to afford the flagship car.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of aim

Noun

The plan is to find candidates from families that renounced their royal status in 1947, which at the time was to ease the postwar financial burden on the monarchy.

— Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Swift's childhood was tailor-made for a Hallmark movie—but the future pop star already had other plans.

— Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of plan

Noun

The more self-consciously operatic versions aren’t necessarily closer to the composer’s intentions.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Appearing with Bass at an event at his Palisades Village shopping center last week, Caruso voiced concerns over Raman’s stated intention to replace Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell.

— Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of intention

Noun

The League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause filed separately, warning that the DOJ’s demand to investigate voter intent presents severe constitutional hazards.

— Hugh Son, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
This sense of a turning point imbues individual actions with a larger purpose and drives protesters to confront a police force intent on clearing the streets by whatever means necessary.

— Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of intent

Noun

Our research and engineering remain world-class, but our record of getting ideas to market and improving how products are made has been less stellar.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
It has also been designed as a neighborhood gathering space, with Apartment at 365, the physical space representing the Happier pillar of discovery, idea exchange, community, creativity and collaboration.

— Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of idea

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“Aspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiration. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of aspiration

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