aspiring

1 of 2

adjective

aspir·​ing ə-ˈspī-riŋ 

: 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

aspiring

2 of 2

present participle of aspire

Synonyms of aspiring

Adjective

• ambitious

Examples of aspiring in a Sentence

Adjective

an aspiring young pianist eager to win the prestigious competition

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the show, aspiring singers get the chance to share the stage with some of the country’s biggest artists. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

At the time, Jackson was an aspiring 20-year-old artist who was not yet earning an income from his canvases, instead relying on odd jobs and family support amid the throws of the Great Depression. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Ilaria, a 30-year-old aspiring fashion designer who works in retail, has her eyes on the yellow silk camisole, which sold out online. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

The couple married in 2008, and Siebel Newsom was quickly cast in the role of stabilizing force, an attractive, wealthy, and engaged political partner for an aspiring politician. — Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1788, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aspiring

• acquiring
• admiring
• conspiring
• enquiring
• expiring
• inspiring
• perspiring
• rehiring
• retiring
• untiring
• firing
• hiring