Meaning & use
aspiring artist
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
Someone who hopes and works to become a professional artist but is not one yet.
Grammar: Countable: say an aspiring artist or two aspiring artists.
Patterns
- an aspiring artist who …
- a young aspiring artist
She is an aspiring artist who sells small paintings at weekend markets.
The gallery runs a free course for aspiring artists from local schools.
He describes himself as an aspiring artist, though he still works nights in a bakery.
nouncountablefigurative
Used more loosely, anyone who is trying hard to develop a particular skill or career in the arts.
Grammar: Often used with a possessive: our aspiring artists, the city's aspiring artists.
Patterns
- aspiring artists in something
- encourage aspiring artists
The festival gives aspiring artists a chance to perform on a real stage.
Local councils often fund projects that support aspiring artists.
Word forms
| plural | aspiring artists |
|---|
Common combinations
- a young aspiring artist
- A young aspiring artist won the competition with a pencil drawing.
- an aspiring artist's work
- The show includes an aspiring artist's work alongside famous names.
- support aspiring artists
- The charity supports aspiring artists who cannot afford materials.
- an aspiring artist from somewhere
- We interviewed an aspiring artist from a small town in the north.
Synonyms and how they differ
- would-be artist
- 'Would-be' often sounds slightly critical or humorous, suggesting the person may never succeed, while 'aspiring artist' is neutral and encouraging.
- budding artist
- 'Budding artist' emphasizes that talent is already starting to show; an aspiring artist may still be a complete beginner.
- trainee
- 'Trainee' means someone in formal training for a job and is not used for the arts in this loose way.
Opposites
Word family
- aspire verb
- to have a strong wish to achieve something important
- aspiration noun
- a strong hope or ambition to do something
- aspiring adjective
- hoping to become a particular kind of person or do a particular job
Commonly confused: aspiring artist or inspiring artist?
aspiring artist vs inspiring artist
'Inspiring' means the artist makes other people feel encouraged or full of ideas; 'aspiring' means the artist is still trying to make it.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'aspiring artist' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Aspiring' means hoping to become, so it fits someone who still plans to study painting. Option A fails because thirty years of experience suggests an established artist, not a beginner. Option C is wrong because a century of fame means the person already succeeded, and option D confuses 'aspiring' with 'inspiring', which describes the effect on other people.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aspiring artist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.