Definition

1. Noun:

   • An ambitious person who actively seeks to achieve a particular goal, position, or status. This person is characterized by strong desire and effort toward advancement or recognition.

2. Adjective:

   • Desiring or striving for a specific goal, especially recognition, advancement, or a high position. It describes the state of having strong ambitions.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She was a young aspirant to the throne, studying politics and history diligently.
  • The firm's management training program attracted many aspirants from top universities.

• Adjective:

  • He had an aspirant look in his eyes as he discussed his career goals.
  • The aspirant actors waited nervously for their audition calls.

Advanced Usage

• "aspirant to": This phrase is commonly used to specify the goal or position being sought.
  • He was a lifelong aspirant to the presidency.
• Used in formal or professional contexts to describe candidates for prestigious roles, such as in politics, academia, or the arts.

Variants and Related Words

• Aspiration (n): A strong desire or ambition to achieve something.
  • Her lifelong aspiration was to become a judge.
• Aspiring (adj): Directly synonymous with the adjective form of 'aspirant', meaning having a strong ambition.
  • An aspiring novelist.
• Aspire (v): To direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something.
  • She aspires to be a CEO one day.

Synonyms

• Candidate: A person who applies for a job or is nominated for election.
• Hopeful: A person who hopes or aspires to success.
• Applicant: A person who makes a formal application for something.
• Would-be: Desiring or aspiring to be a specified type of person (often used before a noun, e.g., ).

Related Phrases

• Political aspirant: A person seeking a political office.
  • The debate featured several political aspirants.
• Aspirant class: A socioeconomic group striving for upward mobility.
  • Policies aimed at helping the aspirant class.

Related Idioms

• On the make: (Informal) Aggressively ambitious or seeking success, especially in a selfish way. This has a more negative connotation than 'aspirant'.
  • He was seen as a young man on the make, willing to do anything for a promotion.

Adjective

1. desiring or striving for recognition or advancement

Noun

1. an ambitious and aspiring young person
   • a lofty aspirant
   • two executive hopefuls joined the firm
   • the audience was full of Madonna wannabes