aspiring

1. not comparableHoping to become.

   Aspiring pop stars lined up for hours just to audition.

   2 more examples

   Time and time again the people were foolish enough to trust, believe, and support with their last farthing aspiring politicians, only to find themselves betrayed and cheated.

   1910, Emma Goldman, “Anarchism”, in Anarchism, and Other Essays, New York: Mother Earth Publishing Association, page 70

   Here three aspiring young seamstresses—diplomas in dressmaking from the People’s College of Zimbabwe hung on the wall—bicker and scowl at each other.

   2018, Tsitsi Dangarembga, chapter 16, in This Mournable Body, Minneapolis: Graywolf Press

   Synonyms: ambitious, wannabe, would-be

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of aspire

plural aspirings

1. archaicAspiration.

   […] to the aſpirings of unaſſuming truſt and filial confidence, are ſet no bounds.

   1750 August 28 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. [44]. Friday, August 18. 1750.”, in The Rambler, volume II, Edinburgh: [[…] Sands, Murray, and Cochran]; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1750, →OCLC, page 142

   2 more examples

   […] if we contemplate a vegetable in its material principle, and look on it as made of earth; we muſt have the true Theory of the nature of that Element, or we miſerably fail of our Scientifical aſpirings, […]

   1661, Joseph Glanvill, chapter XXII, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, pages 214–215

   From whatsoe’er my wakened thoughts create Out of the hopes of thine aspirings bold, Have I collected language to unfold Truth to my countrymen; […]

   1818, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Canto Fourth”, in The Revolt of Islam; […], London: […] [F]or C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier, […]; by B[uchanan] M‘Millan, […], →OCLC, stanza XII, page 81