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
Hold Goal-Setting Sessions Annually Annually, managers can guide employees by holding goal-setting sessions that align personal aspirations with company objectives.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Additional tests include bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, imaging studies, and cytochemistry.
—Doru Paul, Health, 10 Jan. 2025
But Corbet uses the second half to remind the audience, in excessive detail, just how many strings come attached with those aspirations.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adapted from German author Mona Kasten’s trilogy, Save Me, Save You and Save Us, Maxton Hall follows Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten), a determined scholar at a prestigious boarding school, Maxton Hall, with aspirations to attend Oxford.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for aspiration 
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Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Additional tests include bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, imaging studies, and cytochemistry.
—Doru Paul, Health, 10 Jan. 2025
But Corbet uses the second half to remind the audience, in excessive detail, just how many strings come attached with those aspirations.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adapted from German author Mona Kasten’s trilogy, Save Me, Save You and Save Us, Maxton Hall follows Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten), a determined scholar at a prestigious boarding school, Maxton Hall, with aspirations to attend Oxford.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
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 17 Jan. 2025.
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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