aspiration
noun
as·pi·ra·tion
ˌa-spə-ˈrā-shən 
1
a
: a strong desire to achieve something high or great
an aspiration to become famous
—usually plurala young man with political/literary aspirations
b
: an object of such desire
An acting career is her aspiration.
2
: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by or as if by suction: such as
a
: the act of breathing and especially of breathing in
b
: the withdrawal (as by suction) of fluid or tissue from the body
the aspiration of stomach fluids
c
: the taking of foreign matter into the lungs with the respiratory current
problems caused by the aspiration of fluids into the patient's lungs
3
linguistics
a
: audible breath that accompanies or comprises a speech sound
b
: the pronunciation or addition of an aspiration
the aspiration of the letter "h" in "a house"
also
: the symbol of an aspiration
Examples of aspiration in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At 3-8 and with their playoff aspirations all but gone, who’s on the chopping block next?
—
Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
Douglas was fired Tuesday as the Jets’ general manager, the latest shakeup for a franchise that had Super Bowl aspirations with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at quarterback but has limped to a 3-8 start and appears likely to miss the playoffs for a 14th consecutive year.
—Dennis Waszak Jr., Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2024
By embracing personal leadership, female leaders can transform challenges into opportunities, aligning their careers with their core values and aspirations.
—Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Liz Cheney While her endorsement of Kamala Harris likely burned many bridges with the GOP, Liz Cheney is still a Republican at heart, and has aspirations of taking her party back to its roots.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for aspiration 
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Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
Douglas was fired Tuesday as the Jets’ general manager, the latest shakeup for a franchise that had Super Bowl aspirations with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at quarterback but has limped to a 3-8 start and appears likely to miss the playoffs for a 14th consecutive year.
—Dennis Waszak Jr., Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2024
By embracing personal leadership, female leaders can transform challenges into opportunities, aligning their careers with their core values and aspirations.
—Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Liz Cheney While her endorsement of Kamala Harris likely burned many bridges with the GOP, Liz Cheney is still a Republican at heart, and has aspirations of taking her party back to its roots.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for aspiration
Dictionary Entries Near aspiration
Cite this Entry
“Aspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspiration. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aspiration
noun
as·pi·ra·tion
ˌas-pə-ˈrā-shən
1
: pronunciation with or as an aspirate
2
: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by suction
3
a
: a strong desire to achieve something high or great
b
: an object of such desire
Medical Definition
aspiration
noun
as·pi·ra·tion
ˌas-pə-ˈrā-shən
: a drawing of something in, out, up, or through by or as if by suction: as
a
: the act of breathing and especially of breathing in
b
: the withdrawal of fluid or friable tissue from the body
c
: the taking of foreign matter into the lungs with the respiratory current
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