as in goals
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
college is his immediate aspiration after he graduates from high school
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Recent Examples of aspirations
Kimbrel has been fine, but a team with title aspirations should have a more effective high-leverage reliever.
—
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Any showbiz aspirations would give way to the traditional choices of women in middle-class America in the 1950s.
—John Ficarra, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
This example directly shaped her early career aspirations.
—Laura Berrios, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Donaldson seems likely to call on Wall Street to fund his aspirations.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 May 2026
For example, students were encouraged to move away from individualistic aspirations and instead guided toward the pursuit of joint publications with colleagues and teachers.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 May 2026
The Illinois governor was also asked about his political aspirations by Time magazine.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Storybook performances are the heartbeat of March Madness, but unlike the actual Cinderella, college basketball teams with aspirations to make a splash in the Big Dance don’t have fairy godmothers to cover the costs of running a basketball program.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Not all parishes can afford to pay for a support staff to fully serve the parish and our missionary aspirations.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Any showbiz aspirations would give way to the traditional choices of women in middle-class America in the 1950s.
—John Ficarra, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
This example directly shaped her early career aspirations.
—Laura Berrios, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Donaldson seems likely to call on Wall Street to fund his aspirations.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 May 2026
For example, students were encouraged to move away from individualistic aspirations and instead guided toward the pursuit of joint publications with colleagues and teachers.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 May 2026
The Illinois governor was also asked about his political aspirations by Time magazine.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Storybook performances are the heartbeat of March Madness, but unlike the actual Cinderella, college basketball teams with aspirations to make a splash in the Big Dance don’t have fairy godmothers to cover the costs of running a basketball program.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Not all parishes can afford to pay for a support staff to fully serve the parish and our missionary aspirations.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspirations
Noun
-
Senior forward Jordyn Washington, who also scored Tuesday, has a team-best 17 goals.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Beachy is worried that basic research could take a back seat to short-term goals as defined by the White House.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The city has banned an arm in common use for lawful purposes by law-abiding citizens.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
-
The information provided is for educational purposes and should not be construed as financial, investment or trading advice.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Liverpool have revised plans to increase ticket prices following protests and lengthy discussions with the club’s supporters’ board.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Letter writer blames sister-in-law for brother’s non-Jewish funeral plans.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Later, the Moon squares the Sun and may reveal tension between duties and bigger ambitions.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
On balance, confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions was necessary.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
One of the association’s key aims is to serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas, business strategies, and improvements.—
Marlen Bartsch,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Trump’s first term was marked—and, in the view of those closest to him, limited—by its dependence on Administration officials who were, at best, skeptical of his aims.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The exercise builds skills around joint all-domain operations, crisis responses and multinational interoperability, enhances regional security and supports AFRICOM's strategic objectives, the website states.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
-
Still, Duffy suggested that highergas prices are a worthy cost to pay for preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon -- one of the president's main objectives for attacking Iran in the first place.—
Ford McCracken,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
In other words, your intentions may not be considered if your paperwork is not in order.—
Rebecca L. Palmer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
Diversity can’t be sustained through good intentions alone.—
Yunus Emre Tozal,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
In a county that includes 88 cities, all of which have overlapping and sometimes conflicting ideas, there have been few avenues for reaching consensus.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Those are ideas most Americans — especially people who actually spend time outdoors — can still rally behind.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aspirations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspirations. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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