aspire

verb

as·​pire ə-ˈspī(-ə)r 

aspired; aspiring

intransitive verb

1

: to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal

She aspired to a career in medicine.

2

: ascend, soar

aspirer noun

Synonyms

• aim
• allow [chiefly Southern & Midland]
• calculate
• contemplate
• design
• go [chiefly Southern & Midland]
• intend
• look
• mean
• meditate
• plan
• propose
• purport
• purpose

Examples of aspire in a Sentence

aspire to great deeds, and you have a better chance of doing good deeds

a tower aspiring towards the heavens

Recent Examples on the Web

Educating one’s own child several hours a day may seem too quotidian (and miserable, as most parents who endured the pandemic will tell you) for someone who aspires to be one half of Hollywood’s next producing power couple. —Jen Wang, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2024

But in New York he was convicted of raping an aspiring actress, Jessica Mann, and assaulting a television production assistant, Miriam Haley, and sentenced to 23 years in prison. —Nicole Hong, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French aspirer, from Latin aspirare, literally, to breathe upon, from ad- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

aspire

verb

as·​pire ə-ˈspī(ə)r 

aspired; aspiring

: to work to get something high or great

aspirer noun