aspirant

1 of 2

noun

: one who aspires
presidential aspirants

aspirant

2 of 2

adjective

: seeking to attain a desired position or status
the pilot was an aspirant astronaut

Examples of aspirant in a Sentence

Noun a debate between the two aspirants for the highest office
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Bollywood aspirants the world over wanting to feature alongside top Indian stars can now cut out the middleman. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024 Fundamental Criteria Age Flexibility: There’s no age restriction for CPA aspirants in Florida, allowing individuals to aim for the CPA title at any point in their career. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2024 Sall, whose second and final term runs out in April, attributed the suspension to disputes over a final list of presidential candidates that excluded dozens of opposition aspirants. Nimi Princewill, CNN, 14 Feb. 2024 As a powerful global South country and an aspirant for great-power status in the prevailing order, India has the ability to traverse major fault lines in the international system. Happymon Jacob, Foreign Affairs, 25 Dec. 2023 Back in 1919 daily cartoonists worked in a bullpen, and aspirants like Bushmiller could watch masters including H.T. Webster, Rudolph Dirks, and his soon-to-be friend Milt Gross drawing their strips every day. Dan Nadel, The New York Review of Books, 15 Feb. 2024 They are also seen as future presidential aspirants. Ed O'Keefe, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2024 Democracy in balance President Sall’s decision to postpone the elections stems from disputes over the final list of presidential candidates, which notably excluded several opposition aspirants. Stephanie Busari, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 But the proliferating lists of serious aspirants include governors, senators, and members of the House, in addition to various MAGA hangers-on. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024
Adjective
In her autobiography, Meloni concedes to a lifelong adoration of Tolkien’s works, including dressing as the hobbit Samwise Gamgee with other politically aspirant youth. Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023 What happens when one aspirant, after hundreds of casting sessions, gets off that stage and goes back home feeling defeated, and no longer has the will to carry on fighting? John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Oct. 2023 The New Yorker was a common token among the aspirant middle class in the neighborhood. Jonathan Lethem, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023 For one thing, there is one clear leader and one clear aspirant. Stephen G. Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2023 Yet at the same time, Turkey, a NATO member and European Union aspirant, continues to wield enormous influence because of its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Selcan Hacaoglu, Bloomberg.com, 25 Apr. 2023 Given his status as the second-place GOP aspirant in most polls, DeSantis has positioned himself as the most viable alternative to Trump-wary donors. Ryan King, Washington Examiner, 13 Apr. 2023 After falling in love with Kira King, the daughter of basketball star and sneaker tycoon Darius King, an aspirant Queens sneaker designer gains the confidence to pursue his dream of becoming a professional sneaker designer with the help of his best friend, Sami, and his Fairy Godfather. Travis Bean, Forbes, 14 May 2022 Its central observation is that the new generation of authoritarians, whether fully fledged or still aspirant, as in the U.S., usually exploit the apparent levers of democratic politics but use more discreet forms of manipulation to extend their rule. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aspirant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1738, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aspirant was in 1738

Dictionary Entries Near aspirant

Cite this Entry

“Aspirant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspirant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aspirant

noun
as·​pi·​rant
ˈas-p(ə-)rənt,
ə-ˈspī-rənt
: a person who aspires

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