as in ambitious
having a strong desire for personal advancement
an aspiring young pianist eager to win the prestigious competition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in planning
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
aspire to great deeds, and you have a better chance of doing good deeds
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in rising
to move or extend upward
a tower aspiring towards the heavens
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 aspiring
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Leventhal applauded the staff at the DCPA for helping set up such an experience for an aspiring professional musician.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Arkapaw, the first woman to receive the Academy Award for Cinematography, gave solid advice to aspiring artists.
—John Ross, Vanity Fair, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aspiring
Adjective
An aspiring author had sent Hoover their manuscript, also copying a fraudulent email impersonating Hoover on the email chain.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Leventhal applauded the staff at the DCPA for helping set up such an experience for an aspiring professional musician.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
Eventually, Fuqua moved to Los Angeles and found his way into Propaganda Films, an ideal place for an aspiring filmmaker.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Arkapaw, the first woman to receive the Academy Award for Cinematography, gave solid advice to aspiring artists.
—John Ross, Vanity Fair, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aspiring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiring
Adjective
-
Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Completely round and full, the full moon will be in the ambitious, mysterious sign of Scorpio.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An hour before Hitchcock's execution, Texas is planning to put James Broadnax to death for the 2008 double murder of two Christian music producers in the Dallas suburb of Garland.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Countries across the Gulf have arrested scores of people during the war, on charges ranging from posting images of wartime damage, to planning terrorist attacks with Iran.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s why David Gallo’s setting, a vista of a fragile boarding house nearly consumed by the rising, sun-blotting, industrial landscape of Pittsburgh, works so effectively here.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
After a faulty cooling system was left to disrepair, rising temperatures resulted in an explosion with the equivalent force of 70-100 tons of TNT.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Police believe Lewis killed King intending to steal his Hyundai Sonata.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The Essay The op-ed itself is a short essay intending to inform the public about an issue and to indicate some means for its resolution.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This was the exact skill set the Chargers were missing in a young, ascending receiver room that includes Ladd McConkey, Tre’ Harris and Quentin Johnston.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The film's producer-star, 50, could be seen on Friday, April 24, ascending the vertical structure with a full set of climbing gear.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
United are, however, also looking at the centre-back market.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Every franchise is looking for that game-changing find.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The war and its economic fallout comes at a time when Americans were already navigating high costs of living from a post-pandemic inflation spike and years of prices climbing much faster than has been typical.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Getty Images/iStockphoto Gold has made some serious waves over the last year or two, first passing the $3,000-per-ounce milestone in 2025 before climbing past the $4,000-per-ounce milestone shortly after.—
Aly J Yale,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
China’s metals industry began this year with its biggest profits in at least a decade as soaring prices for aluminum and copper handed the sector a major boost.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The soaring cost of jet fuel due to the war in Iran will lead to significantly higher airfares.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aspiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiring. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
