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Definition of aspiring

aspiring

/əˈspaɪ.ər.ɪŋ/
as · pir · ing
Adverb:aspiringly
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aspiring Lexical Profile

aspiring Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Directing one's hopes or ambitions toward becoming a specified type of person or achieving a particular career.

Example

"The workshop offered practical publishing advice to aspiring novelists and journalists."

2

Rising or soaring high into the air (used in literary contexts).

Example

"The cathedral's aspiring spires dominated the medieval skyline."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

When describing a person pursuing a career or goal, 'aspiring' is used almost exclusively as an attributive adjective before the noun (e.g., 'an aspiring musician') rather than after a linking verb.

• Rhymes for aspiring

• Nearby Words

aspire
aspirer
aspirin
aspiring
ass
assail
assailant

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed from the verb 'aspire', which entered Middle English via Old French from Latin 'aspirare', meaning 'to breathe upon' or 'to strive to reach' (from 'ad-', meaning 'to', and 'spirare', meaning 'to breathe').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Aspiring. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/aspiring
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