aspire

verb

as·​pire ə-ˈspī(-ə)r 

aspired; aspiring

intransitive verb

1

: to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal

She aspired to a career in medicine.

2

: ascend, soar

aspirer noun

Synonyms

• aim
• allow [chiefly Southern & Midland]
• calculate
• contemplate
• design
• go [chiefly Southern & Midland]
• intend
• look
• mean
• meditate
• plan
• propose
• purport
• purpose

Examples of aspire in a Sentence

aspire to great deeds, and you have a better chance of doing good deeds

a tower aspiring towards the heavens

Recent Examples on the Web

Moving up gradually is a solid plan for both local Coloradans and out-of-state guests who aspire to hike the high peaks. —James Dziezynski, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2024

Like Georgia and neighboring Ukraine, Moldova aspires to join the EU but is caught in a constant geopolitical tug between Moscow and the West. —Stephen McGrath and Nicolae Dumitrache, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

Washington will no longer aspire for primacy in the European theater. —Sumantra Maitra, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024

By enriching its diverse programming, SIP aspires to attract an even larger audience of visitors and musicians while preserving an intimate crowd size that nurtures a sense of community. —Noel Burgess, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French aspirer, from Latin aspirare, literally, to breathe upon, from ad- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

aspire

verb

as·​pire ə-ˈspī(ə)r 

aspired; aspiring

: to work to get something high or great

aspirer noun