aspiring

adjective

aspir·​ing ə-ˈspī-riŋ How to pronounce aspiring (audio)
: desiring and working to achieve a particular goal : having aspirations to attain a specified profession, position, etc.
an aspiring actor [=a person who aspires to be and is trying to become an actor]
an aspiring novelist

Examples of aspiring in a Sentence

an aspiring young pianist eager to win the prestigious competition
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
By focusing on aspiring pinners part of minority groups, this program aims to make Pinterest a more inclusive and diverse platform. Enoch Omololu, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 But because this enterprise has been spearheaded by a sleazy politician with an almost messianic hold on his fans, Mark Ruffalo’s Kenneth Marshall, too many aspiring space cadets have signed up. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025 Mortgage rates are probably not going to fall as much as many aspiring homebuyers would hope this year, experts have said. Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025 Earlier, Waters is seen in a spasm of ecstasy after the aspiring lifestyle guru shows an intensely yellow egg yolk that came from one her famous rescue chickens. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for aspiring

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aspiring was in 1788

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Cite this Entry

“Aspiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspiring. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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