aspiring 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈspī-riŋ How to pronounce aspiring (audio)
Definition of aspiringnext
as in ambitious
having a strong desire for personal advancement an aspiring young pianist eager to win the prestigious competition

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

aspiring

2 of 2

verb

present participle of aspire
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
Adjective
And many aspiring professionals appear to have begun taking that message to heart. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026 The Grammy-winning singer, 24, was recently photographed on the Toronto set of The Bell Jar, offering the first glimpse of her transformation into Esther Greenwood, the aspiring young writer at the center of Sylvia Plath‘s beloved 1963 novel. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
In the series, Sennott plays Maia, an aspiring talent manager who must juggle various relationships, including with her college bud turned rising star Tallulah (A’zion) and her schoolteacher boyfriend Dylan (Hutcherson). — Joe Otterson, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026 Eli Lilly remains the leader in the GLP-1 space over main rival Novo Nordisk , the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, and a cadre of aspiring competitors with drugs still in clinical trials. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aspiring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aspiring
  1. ambitious
  2. planning
  3. rising
  4. intending
  5. ascending
  6. looking
  7. climbing
  8. aiming
Adjective
  • The change could reshape one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure projects in the US.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Hathaway tells them to be ambitious and creative, and the designers do have a bigger budget of $700, but once again, only one day.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of ambitious
Verb
  • Unai Emery has been planning for the exit of No 1 Emi Martinez for the last two summers, and much detailed work has duly gone into sourcing his replacement.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The governor is now planning to veto the remaining provisions in the bill, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
    — Julie Watts, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of planning
Verb
  • During totality, the temperature could briefly fall by 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) before rising rapidly again once the sun reappears.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Images shared by Russian media outlets from the town of Podolsk showed columns of black smoke rising from the site.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of rising
Verb
  • Wayne Adams, who has been a vocal supporter of keeping the Sheriff’s Office in Deerfield Beach, announced his candidacy for the Deerfield Beach City Commission five months ago, intending to replace Commissioner Ben Preston.
    — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors and the victims’ relatives said Sandoval broke into the Lancaster home intending to target his former partner, who wasn’t home.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of intending
Verb
  • When the conference was in its early stages of ascending to dominance in the late 2000s, two of the greatest coaches of their era called Tuscaloosa and Gainesville home.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But like Young, Verse was a player ascending but not yet ascended.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of ascending
Verb
  • Enzo Fernandez is looking more likely to stay at this stage after months of transfer speculation, and Chelsea are a stronger team with him in the line-up.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lancôme’s Teint Idôle Ultra Wear All Over Concealer offers buildable, natural-looking coverage that can camouflage melasma, sunspots, and other hyperpigmentation without masking your skin entirely.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of looking
Verb
  • But data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the test positivity rate for the week ending August 8 above 3% for the first time since March, with numbers climbing in every state.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The numbers are vast and climbing again but during the countdown to another season, beginning on Friday night, there has been another timely marker to illustrate the rapid financial growth of the Premier League and its elite.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of climbing
Verb
  • Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner will call the plays after leaving the same role at Georgia Tech, aiming to stretch the field significantly more than Napier’s screen-heavy attack.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Kushner is aiming to present a united front with Israel, but Estrin notes that Israel is sending mixed messages.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of aiming

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Cite this Entry

“Aspiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aspiring. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of aspiring for Spanish Speakers

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