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
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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
Dan Albano, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
The film about an aspiring journalist, starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, swept up into the world of a glamorous fashion magazine went on to be a massive hit, was nominated for two Oscars, and became a beloved classic.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 30 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
Makelela, who lives with a host family, arrived in Orange County as an aspiring basketball prospect.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
The film about an aspiring journalist, starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, swept up into the world of a glamorous fashion magazine went on to be a massive hit, was nominated for two Oscars, and became a beloved classic.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aspiring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiring
Adjective
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This sort of attention to dessert is otherwise increasingly rare; too many ambitious kitchens pour all their resources into their savory menus and then punt on the sweet courses, serving a scoop of gelato in a fancy coupe, or a slice of cake assembled off-site.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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To this day, Galaxy and its sequel are the series’ most conceptually ambitious entries.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
9 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Sentiment was hurt by the rising price of gas caused by the war, according to survey director Joanne Hsu.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
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Our teachers are making an impact every day while working with increasing local demands, rising expectations, and with less state funding.—
Clinton McCracken,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors say that Allen tried to storm the dinner − where Vice President JD Vance and others from the administration were also in attendance − with multiple guns and knives, intending to kill high-ranking officials.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
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From Stoll's perspective, Howard wasn't intending to kill his lover.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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New York — The tables are set, the cameras are waiting and some of today’s most stylish cultural figures are ascending the steps of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
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That’s because ascending the Kardashev scale isn’t really a realistic goal—the scale is more a crude guide for thinking about how a technological civilization could grow and what its ultimate limits could be.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The woman who died, Smith-Gray, was a high school senior looking forward to walking the stage at graduation, her family said on a fundraising page for her funeral expenses.—
Hannah Schoenbaum,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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If the Knicks are looking for a regular-season template that travels into Friday, that’s one of the best places to start.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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That frustration rings especially true in Colorado, where insurance premiums have been climbing thanks to escalating wildfire and weather risks, a concern the Hippo report identifies as a major pressure point across the Mountain region.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
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Texas drivers are seeing another jump at the pump, with gas prices climbing above $4 a gallon statewide for the first time in nearly four years.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Unlike Friday’s Oaks, where Ortiz had Always a Runner near the leaders before taking charge through the final turn and soaring past Meaning for a 1 1/4-length win, seizing the Derby required everything from jockey and mount.—
Gary B. Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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Together, its soaring arch and Prospect Park form Brooklyn’s answer to Washington Square.—
Jonathan Timm,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aspiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiring. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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