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aspirational

aspirational

12 5.3
Wanting to be more successful, often shown by luxury brands or lifestyles
  • adjective
  • /ˌæspəˈreɪʃənl/
translation icon : ambicioso
  • The company's new marketing campaign focuses on aspirational lifestyles that encourage customers to pursue their dreams.
  • aspirational in nature
  • aspirational morality
  • aspirational goal

You cannot even create an aspirational statement about it.

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Examples

  • They have some aspirational plan that this is what we want our city to be.

  • These big, bold, aspirational goals would be set.

  • How do we actually realize those aspirational goals?

  • I think that the idea of what is aspirational is, is maybe always changing.

  • Like why are we looking at this in an aspirational manner?

  • When society turns its aspirational morality over to the state, the state makes a mess of it.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The challenge now is to translate that aspirational commitment into daily practices.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Adams feels strongly that more aspirational retirement housing needs to be built in the social housing sector.

    Academic text (2009)
  • And even you could relate that to young athletes too, you know, aspirational triathletes.

  • McFEELY: He's an aspirational figure.

Synonyms

ambitious
vsaspirational
128 3.7

Wanting very much to succeed and willing to work hard

emphasizes desire or appeal rather than effort and hard work
aspiring
vsaspirational
3 3.5

Wanting to become successful in a particular job or activity

expresses a general desire to improve and appeals to people aiming higher

Antonyms

87 1.0

Feeling happy and satisfied with what you have

3 4.1

Not wanting to try hard to reach higher goals

How Ambitious

driven
3.5
ambitious
128 3.7
aspiring
3 3.5
aspirational
12 5.3
unambitious
3 4.1

Surface Forms

aspirational positive

Morphology

aspirational = aspiration (semi-transparent) = aspire + ation + al

The word is regularly formed from 'aspiration' plus '-al', but the sense of social ambition or status appeal is a conventional extension rather than a fully literal composition.

Etymology

The word aspirational comes from the verb aspire and the Latin root spirare meaning 'to breathe'. Think of it as 'breathing toward' a goal, so aspirational means having a strong wish to improve or to reach a higher place.