Aspire
/əˈspaɪər/
verbIntermediateCommonGeneral
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
To possess a strong ambition or desire to achieve something.
/əˈspaɪər/
verbpositiveIntermediate
General
To have a strong desire to achieve something.
Many young people aspire to greatness.
💡 Simply: To really want to achieve something great.
More Examples
2
I aspire to own my own business someday.
How It's Used
Career
"She aspires to become a successful surgeon."
Personal Goals
"He aspires to a life of peace and tranquility."
From Latin *aspirare* "to breathe toward, to strive after," from *ad-* "to" + *spirare* "to breathe."
The word has been used with similar meanings since the 16th century.
Memory tip
Think of 'as' meaning 'to' and 'pire' suggesting a 'fire' of ambition.
Practice
Base: aspire
aspieraspyre
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written