ASPIRATION Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'aspiration' different from other nouns like it?

The words ambition and pretension are common synonyms of aspiration . While all three words mean "strong desire for advancement," aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself. // an aspiration to become president someday

Q: When is it sensible to use 'ambition' instead of 'aspiration'?

Although the words ambition and aspiration have much in common, ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire. // driven by ambition

Q: In what contexts can 'pretension' take the place of 'aspiration'?

While in some cases nearly identical to aspiration , pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption. // has literary pretensions

aspiration

noun

ˌa-spə-ˈrā-shən

Definition of aspiration

as in ambition

eager desire for personal advancement a combination of aspiration and hard work made her the top tennis player in the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in goal

something that one hopes or intends to accomplish college is his immediate aspiration after he graduates from high school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word aspiration different from other nouns like it?

The words ambition and pretension are common synonyms of aspiration. While all three words mean "strong desire for advancement," aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

an aspiration to become president someday

When is it sensible to use ambition instead of aspiration?

Although the words ambition and aspiration have much in common, ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire.

driven by ambition

In what contexts can pretension take the place of aspiration?

While in some cases nearly identical to aspiration, pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

has literary pretensions

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 aspiration When Hannah’s dad, Kent, told a coworker about his daughter’s aspirations, that led to a call from Jim Sundberg. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 Jacksonville has paid Lawrence like a franchise-altering quarterback, built around him and attached its championship aspirations to his right arm. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Parton moved to Nashville after high school to pursue her music aspirations. — CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 Gone is the callow rage and aspirations of badassery that prompted them to write Leviathan about Moby-Dick. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aspiration

Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiration

Noun

Ahead of her Edinburgh appearance, Lyvers talked to THR about her team’s original content strategy, why ambition and characters are key, Sky’s film slate and how important, or not, franchises and star power are.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
The platform links brand clients with filmmakers around the world to turn advertising messages into standalone films with real narrative ambition, rather than conventional commercials.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of ambition

Noun

Anthropic wanted assurance that its technology would not be used for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance, and the DOD wanted Anthropic to grant the agency unfettered access to Claude across all lawful purposes.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Thankfully, his reappearance in the show actually has a deeper purpose.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of purpose

Noun

Rao plays Issa as someone who rides the fine line between fearless and clinically disinhibited but whose intentions are always pure; why shouldn’t that perv get a taste of his own medicine?

— Emily Gould, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
The intention of the filmmakers and the studio is to have Hudson and her co-star from the original, Matthew McConaughey, reprise their roles.

— Jack Dunn, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of intention

Browse Nearby Words

aspirants

aspiration

aspirations

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Style

“Aspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiration. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of aspiration

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