aspire
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, especially for something great or of high value (usually followed by to, after, or an infinitive).
to aspire after literary immortality; to aspire to be a doctor.
- Synonyms:
- yearn
-
Archaic. to rise up; soar; mount; tower.
verb
-
to yearn (for) or have a powerful or ambitious plan, desire, or hope (to do or be something)
to aspire to be a great leader
-
to rise to a great height
Related Words
See ambitious
Other Word Forms
- aspirer noun
- aspiring adjective
- aspiringly adverb
- nonaspiring adjective
- unaspiring adjective
- unaspiringly adverb
Etymology
Origin of aspire
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French aspirer, from Latin aspīrāre “to breathe upon, pant after,” from a- a- 5 + spīrāre “to breathe, blow”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If CarMax aspires to be a winner for decades, the company cannot afford structural inefficiencies,” he said.
Chalamet gets dinged for aspiring to greatness, and Penn’s about to win his third Oscar simply for being great — and not talking about it.
From Los Angeles Times
Bootaan said he aspires to work in film distribution, and for now, charting the box office gives him insight into the industry.
He aspires to spend more time with loved ones, read more and, of course, garden more.
But ‘One Piece’ has given me the chance to aspire to a long and successful career.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
