aspirational

American  

[as-puh-rey-shuh-nl] / ˌæs pəˈreɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

1. relating to or characterized by aspiration or a strong desire for something.

   their aspirational goals for the New Year.

2. aimed at or appealing to people who want to attain a higher social position or standard of living.

   a magazine featuring aspirational products for the home.

3. Medicine/Medical. relating to the act of removing a fluid from a body cavity or of inhaling a fluid into the lungs.

4. Phonetics. relating to articulation involving an audible puff of breath.

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Etymology

Origin of aspirational

aspiration + -al ¹

Explanation

Aspirational things are ambitious, like a goal you're aiming for. Your dreams of being a famous movie star are certainly aspirational, although maybe a little unrealistic. The adjective aspirational can simply describe your objectives or goals in life: in other words, the things you aspire to do. However, the word often implies a desire to achieve social status. If you think of aspirational social media accounts, which give snapshots of impossibly glamorous or wealthy lifestyles, you get the idea. The Latin root of aspirational is aspirare, which means both "to reach for" and "to breathe."

Example Sentences

That's essentially the aspirational upper middle class and not the mass market, but a large enough gap for British universities to exploit.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

These details, combined with Wainwright’s creative flair, have helped to create a space that is not only aspirational, but also inspirational.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

Brand recognition and aspirational appeal supported pricing power.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

“Sitting outside in the sun on a beautiful piazza with your friends and food is hugely aspirational for the rest of the world,” Hunt said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

The last example shows that verbs can be drained of life when they are turned into adjectives, too, as when contribute becomes contributive to or aspire becomes on the aspirational level.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker