aspiring

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aɪəɹɪŋ

Adjective

aspiring (not comparable)

1. Hoping to become.

   Aspiring pop stars lined up for hours just to audition.

   Synonyms: ambitious, wannabe, would-be

   • 1910, Emma Goldman, “Anarchism”, in Anarchism, and Other Essays‎^[1], New York: Mother Earth Publishing Association, page 70:

     Time and time again the people were foolish enough to trust, believe, and support with their last farthing aspiring politicians, only to find themselves betrayed and cheated.

   • 2018, Tsitsi Dangarembga, chapter 16, in This Mournable Body‎^[2], Minneapolis: Graywolf Press:

     Here three aspiring young seamstresses—diplomas in dressmaking from the People’s College of Zimbabwe hung on the wall—bicker and scowl at each other.

Verb

aspiring

1. present participle and gerund of aspire

Derived terms

• aspiringly

Noun

aspiring (plural aspirings)

1. (archaic) Aspiration.
   • 1661, Joseph Glanvill, chapter 22, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing‎^[3], London: Henry Eversden, pages 214–215:

     […] if we contemplate a vegetable in its material principle, and look on it as made of earth; we must have the true Theory of the nature of that Element, or we miserably fail of our Scientifical aspirings,

   • 1750, Samuel Johnson, The Rambler, No. 44, 18 August, 1750, in Volume 2, London: J. Payne and J. Bouquet, 1752, pp. 83-84,^[4]

     […] to the aspirings of unassuming trust, and filial confidence, are set no bounds.

   • 1818, Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Revolt of Islam‎^[5], London: C. and J. Ollier, Canto 4, stanza 12, p. 81:

     From whatsoe’er my wakened thoughts create
     Out of the hopes of thine aspirings bold,
     Have I collected language to unfold
     Truth to my countrymen;

Anagrams

• pairings, praising