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
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 May 2026
The Fall and Rise of Cassie One might wonder at the fact that Maddy helped Cassie at all — the latter’s rash decision, in the previous episode, to quit OnlyFans in pursuit of a legitimate acting career cut off a vital flow of income to her aspiring manager.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 25 May 2026
Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
At literally the other end of the block, competitor station WROL was also booming, and downtown Knoxville found its streets beyond capacity with radio tourists and aspiring musicians.
—Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for aspiring
Adjective
Nazario remembers her son as an intelligent fan of history and an aspiring Marine.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 May 2026
The Fall and Rise of Cassie One might wonder at the fact that Maddy helped Cassie at all — the latter’s rash decision, in the previous episode, to quit OnlyFans in pursuit of a legitimate acting career cut off a vital flow of income to her aspiring manager.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 25 May 2026
Verb
In need of health insurance, aspiring actress Ash turns her skills toward being a Time Travel Agent for Retro, a luxury travel startup catering to the rich and history-obsessed.
—Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
At literally the other end of the block, competitor station WROL was also booming, and downtown Knoxville found its streets beyond capacity with radio tourists and aspiring musicians.
—Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for aspiring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiring
Adjective
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Alongside husband and series co-creator Garrett Kennell, Khare has transformed her digital series into one of contemporary Hollywood’s most ambitious nonfiction productions online.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 June 2026
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That’s certainly one approach to this, albeit an ambitious one.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
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In addition, the group is planning to bury a time capsule to be opened on America's 500th birthday in 2276.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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In May 2020, AMC struck a deal for an undisclosed amount of money, gaining control of both properties and planning an interconnected suite of shows under the Immortal Universe title.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Verb
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This year’s rodeo, held on August 7 and 8, is moving to the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee to accommodate rising attendance.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Early arrivals bring rising excitement While airports have not yet seen the largest crowds expected for the tournament, excitement is already building among fans who have arrived early.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Since that goal was outlined more than two years ago and the company has continued flying its experienced boosters safely across dozens of missions, SpaceX may be intending to push past 40 missions.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
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That afternoon, the teenagers were headed downtown, intending to steal quarters from arcade machines.—
Kevin Lozano,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Verb
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In any other year, Radcliffe would be ascending to the podium, and deservedly so.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2026
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In any other year, Radcliffe would be ascending to the podium, and deservedly so.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Both teams are looking for a healthy seven-game series, but the Knicks seeing their best scorer heading off the court early isn't the way the Eastern Conference champions wanted to kick off their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999 against these same Spurs.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
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At the same time, the tech giants and others in the industry are looking for ways to cut costs, including through layoffs.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Nneka Ogwumike posted 20 points and 11 rebounds, passing franchise icon Lisa Leslie for most field goals in Sparks history and climbing to sixth on the WNBA’s all-time rebounding list.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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The sculpture, built as part of Kansas City’s annual Parade of Hearts, was made to be nearly indestructible — safe from children dangling from the bee’s antennas or climbing on the structure.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Chipmakers are soaring, with the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index on pace for its best year since 2003 with an 74% gain.—
Jeran Wittenstein,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
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Its event packages featured lush greenery, candlelit halls with soaring ceilings and ceremony musicians.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aspiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiring. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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