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Glite Dictionary
to reach for the stars

to reach for the stars

4 4.9
To try to achieve very big goals
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : apuntar a las estrellas
  • I will reach for the stars and soar to heights never before soared!

I've seen a lot of people reach for the stars and fail.

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Examples

  • She encouraged her students to reach for the stars and pursue their ambitions without fear.

  • I love to see smart people reaching for the stars like this.

    Blog text (9)

  • If you believe in yourself and your dreams, reach for the stars, but keep your feet on the ground.

  • Let us always continue to reach for the stars.

    Fly Me to the Moon (2008)

  • Always reach for the stars.

    The Author, The Star and The Keeper (2020)

  • When in doubt, reach for the stars.

    Blog text (27)

  • This is a time for American heroes, and we reach for the stars.

    Blog text (30)

  • Don't ever forget to reach for the stars and never give up.

  • The $65 admission fee will help these young chefs reach for the stars.

    Blog text (34)

  • Addison may be gone, but today is a chance for the rest of us to reach for the stars as we throw our caps in the air at graduation this afternoon.

    Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3 (2022)

Synonyms

to aim at
vsto reach for the stars
239 2.3

Try to reach a goal

differs by implying selection of exceptionally high or ambitious goals
to aspire
vsto reach for the stars
106 4.1

To want very much to achieve an important goal

adds goal-setting and the choice of very high aims beyond mere desire
to aim for
vsto reach for the stars
79 2.8

To try to reach a goal

is like this but specifies choosing very high, ambitious targets
to shoot for
vsto reach for the stars
  • Informal
30 3.9

To try to reach a big, difficult goal

is similar but centres on the highest, most ambitious level of goals
to dream big
vsto reach for the stars
  • Informal
15 3.4

To have very big goals for the future

is more about actively aiming for very high goals than just hoping
to aim high
vsto reach for the stars
5 3.9

Try to reach very difficult goals

is like this but stresses the highest possible level of ambition
to reach for the sky
vsto reach for the stars
  • Informal
3 7.1

To try to do very big or difficult things to get what you want

is the same idea but focuses on aiming for very high goals
to shoot for the stars
vsto reach for the stars
  • Informal
2 4.7

Try to reach a very high and difficult goal

is similar but frames ambition as aiming very high rather than extreme only
to pursue a dream
vsto reach for the stars
1 3.0

Work to make a dream come true

focuses more on choosing the very highest possible goals to pursue

Antonyms

to settle for less
9 4.5

To accept something worse than what you want or deserve

to lower one's sights
  • Informal
1 6.9

Choose smaller goals that are easier to reach when big ones feel impossible

How Ambitious

to reach for the stars
  • Informal
4 4.9
to aim high
5 3.9

Surface Forms

reach for the stars infinitive
reached for the stars past
reached for the stars past participle
reaching for the stars present participle
reaches for the stars third person singular

Morphology

reach + for + the + star

The meaning 'to aim for very high or ambitious goals' is directly inferable from combining 'reach' (attain/reach toward) with the target metaphor 'the stars' (distant/high). This metaphoric mapping is transparent and commonly used cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely understand the intended sense.

Etymology

Reach for the stars comes from the picture of someone stretching up and trying to touch bright stars far above us, an impossible but exciting idea. That's why it means 'to aim for very high or ambitious goals'.