Word
aspire
Phoneticsas·pire, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈspaɪɹ/
UK/ɐspˈaɪə/
Definitions
01to have ambition
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to have a strong desire or hope to achieve something important.
v. to direct one's hopes or ambitions towards achieving a specific, often elevated, goal.
“Many young athletes aspire to play in the professional leagues one day.”
“While many students simply want to pass, she aspires to lead the research department after completing her doctorate.”
02to rise high
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
v. to reach upward or be very tall.
v. to rise or reach to a great height; to tower.
“The ancient towers aspire toward the clouds above the city.”
“The cathedral's gothic spires aspire to the heavens, dominating the skyline of the medieval town.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “aspire” in context.
Verb
01. aspire to become
“She has always aspired to become a neurosurgeon after witnessing her grandfather's recovery.”
verb + infinitive
02. aspire to greatness
“Many young athletes aspire to greatness, but only a few possess the discipline to reach the top.”
verb + prep + noun
03. rightly aspire to
“Developing nations rightly aspire to the same standard of living enjoyed by the West.”
adv + verb
04. secretly aspire to
“Although he worked in finance, he secretly aspired to write a prize-winning novel.”
adv + verb
Preposition
05. aspire to a position
“He does not merely want a job; he aspires to a position of significant influence.”
verb + prep + noun
06. aspire to leadership
“Those who aspire to leadership must first learn the value of serving others.”
verb + prep + noun
Usage
The verb is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'to' followed by an infinitive or a noun phrase.
Pitfall
he aspires winning the prize
he aspires to win the prize
Aspire is intransitive and cannot take a direct object; it must be followed by 'to' and an infinitive.
Real-World Examples
“Not talking about the consequences of life-threatening weight loss could unintentionally send a message that unhealthy levels of thinness is an ideal body type to aspire to.” “It should also show that donors do not have to aspire to “make all mankind good and happy” to make an important difference.” Etymology
From Middle English aspiren, from Old French aspirer, from Latin aspīrō (“breathe on; approach; desire”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/aspire