Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for aspiration

aspiration

[ as-puh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

  1. a strong desire, longing, or aim; ambition:

    intellectual aspirations.

    Synonyms: craving, yearning

  2. a goal or objective that is strongly desired:

    The presidency has been his aspiration since boyhood.

  3. the act of aspirating or breathing in.
  4. Phonetics.
    1. articulation accompanied by an audible puff of breath, as in the h -sound of how, or of when (hwen), or in the release of initial stops, as in the k -sound of key.
    2. the use of such a speech sound, or aspirate, in pronunciation.
  5. Medicine/Medical.
    1. the act of removing a fluid, as pus or serum, from a cavity of the body, by a hollow needle or trocar connected with a suction syringe.
    2. the act of inhaling fluid or a foreign body into the bronchi and lungs, often after vomiting.


aspiration

/ -trɪ; əˈspaɪrətərɪ; -trɪ; ˈæspɪrətərɪ; ˌæspɪˈreɪʃən /

noun

  1. strong desire to achieve something, such as success
  2. the aim of such desire
    1. the act of breathing
    2. a breath
  3. phonetics
    1. the pronunciation of a stop with an audible and forceful release of breath
    2. the friction of the released breath
    3. an aspirated consonant
  4. removal of air or fluid from a body cavity by suction
  5. med
    1. the sucking of fluid or foreign matter into the air passages of the body
    2. the removal of air or fluid from the body by suction


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˌaspiˈrational, adjective
  • aspiratory, adjective

Discover More

Other Words From

  • aspi·ration·al adjective
  • super·aspi·ration noun

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of aspiration1

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin aspīrātiōn-, stem of aspīrātiō “a breathing upon”; aspirate, -ion

Discover More

Example Sentences

We might start by thinking about how companies can do more to balance year-on-year or quarterly targets against long-term aspirations that last—or even exceed—a lifetime, like the commitments some oil companies have made to reach net zero emissions.

She moved to Australia for high school and with aspirations to be a doctor.

From Fortune

FFA, a community of women founders and a startup accelerator working to achieve greater gender diversity in technology, built a sample of 150 women from tech hubs “with high likelihood of having entrepreneurial aspirations,” according to its dataset.

The results also highlight some important gaps between aspiration and reality—what people want companies to do, and what they think they’re actually doing.

From Fortune

On the other hand, if people share their feelings and candidly explain their fears and aspirations to others, they might better motivate positive change.

Both high fashion and the fast, commercial fashion of Target are supposed to be about aspiration.

The salaries were reduced so much that 1000 euro for many workers has now become a goal or aspiration.

Nine years later, making 1,000 euro a month has become an aspiration for many.

Is getting involved in politics a serious aspiration of yours?

But Roosevelt rooted it firmly in American experience and aspiration.

In this way, public curiosity may be gratified, but hardly any private aspiration after fame.

Property, the family, the state, are sacred; but aspiration toward the recognition of the equality of men is insanity.

Beyond all this Michael sincerely tried to correct his morals and manners in the light of aspiration and faith.

The Romantic aspiration is revealed in Steinle, even, in a certain “yearning after colour.”

Phœbe's aspiration to become like her teacher did not lessen as the days went on.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


aspirateaspirational