Meaning & use
an aspiration
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Meanings
nouncountable
A strong hope or ambition to achieve something important in the future.
Grammar: Often used in the plural ('aspirations') when talking about several goals; can be followed by 'to' + verb or 'of' + noun.
Patterns
- aspiration to do something
- aspiration of something
- have aspirations
Her main aspiration is to become a doctor and help people in rural areas.
Many young people have aspirations to travel and see the world.
He talked about his aspirations for a better life for his family.
noununcountablemedicaltechnical
The act of breathing fluid or an object into the lungs, often accidentally.
Grammar: Used in medical contexts; often followed by 'of' to specify what is breathed in.
Patterns
- aspiration of something
- risk of aspiration
The patient was at risk of aspiration after vomiting while unconscious.
Aspiration of food can lead to serious lung infections.
Word forms
| plural | aspirations |
|---|
Common combinations
- career aspirations
- She has high career aspirations in the technology sector.
- political aspirations
- His political aspirations were clear from a young age.
- fulfill an aspiration
- Winning the scholarship helped her fulfill a lifelong aspiration.
- aspiration for peace
- The group expressed its aspiration for peace in the region.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- aspire verb
- To have a strong desire to achieve something.
- aspirational adjective
- Describing something that shows a desire for a higher status or achievement.
- aspiring adjective
- Wanting to become something, often used before a noun (e.g., an aspiring actor).
Commonly confused: an aspiration or aspiration?
an aspiration vs aspiration
Not to be confused with 'aspiration' in phonetics, which refers to a puff of air when saying certain sounds.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'aspiration' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'aspiration to do something'. Option B uses 'of' + gerund, which is less common; option C uses 'for' + base verb, which is ungrammatical; option D omits the preposition entirely.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “an aspiration”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.