Aspired means to have a strong desire or ambition to achieve something, often accompanied by determined effort. It can describe past actions driven by these ambitions or ongoing goals that one is striving toward. The word conveys a sense of aspiration and forward-looking intent rather than present attainment.
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- Mistaking the /aɪ/ as a pure /a/ or /i/ sound. Action: practice with “spy” vs “spied” to hear the glide; ensure you move from /s/ to /p/ with a crisp /ɪər/ or /ər/ transition depending on accent. - Weak final /d/: some speakers vocalize the ending as /ər/ or /ɚ/ without releasing the /d/. Action: practice with the final plosive clearly: /d/ release, keep the jaw relaxed and the tongue near the alveolar ridge. - Slurring the second syllable: dropping the /r/ or /ə/ or misplacing stress. Action: stress the second syllable /ˈspaɪər/ and separate slightly from the first syllable. - Reduction in connected speech: in fast speech you may merge /əˈspaɪərd/ into /əspaird/ or /əˈspaiəd/. Action: practice slow, then incrementally speed up maintaining the /ɪə/ or /iə/ before /d/.
- US: Ensure rhotic vowel before /d/ is heard as /ɚ/ or /ər/ depending on region; keep the /aɪ/ precise and allow a short duration before /ər/. IPA: /əˈspaɪɚd/. - UK: Non-rhotic: /əˈspaɪəd/ or /əˈspaɪə(d)/; avoid strong rhotic coloring; let the final /d/ be clear but not overemphasized. - AU: Often closer to /əˈspaɪəd/; vowel quality in /ɪ/ or /i/ may shift toward /ɪə/; keep the /d/ crisp but less aspirated in rapid speech. Vowel references: /aɪ/ sequence remains key; /ə/ reduces in unstressed positions. - IPA references: US /əˈspaɪɚd/, UK /əˈspaɪəd/ (often), AU /əˈspaɪəd/.
"She aspired to become a renowned scientist and worked tirelessly toward that goal."
"Historically, many artists aspired to leave a lasting impact on their community."
"The nonprofit's leaders aspired to expand the program nationwide within five years."
"Despite early setbacks, he aspired to master the piano and practiced daily."
Aspire comes from the Latin aspīrāre, meaning to breathe upon or to breathe toward, from ad- (toward) + spirāre (to breathe). The figurative sense of “to strive toward a goal” developed in late Latin and early medieval Latin as a metaphorical extension of breathing toward something desirable. In Old French, aspirer carried a similar meaning and entered English in the 14th–15th centuries, often coupled with religious or noble connotations of striving toward virtue or divine favor. The form aspired emerged in English by the 16th century, aligned with the sense of having had an ambition that is directed outward. Over centuries, the word broadened from solemn, aspirational language to general usage indicating goal-oriented efforts in education, career, and personal achievement. The emergence of the suffix -ed marks past tense and past participle usage, aligning with other regular -ed verbs. Today, aspired commonly appears in narratives of personal growth and organizational ambitions, with nuance tied to intensity and genuine pursuit rather than mere fantasizing. First known uses appear in late Middle English, with more precise attested examples appearing in early modern English literature, where ambition and striving were central themes.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "aspired" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "aspired" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "aspired"
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Pronounce as /əˈspaɪərd/. The first syllable is unstressed, with the schwa /ə/. The second syllable carries primary stress: /spaɪər/ where /aɪ/ is the vowel in 'fly' and /ər/ is the rhotacized ending in General American. End with a clear /d/. In careful speech you can audibly separate the glide, but in connected speech the /j/ tends to blend: /əˈspaiərd/. Mouth position: lips relaxed, tongue high to produce /aɪ/ after /sp-. IPA: US /əˈspaɪɚd/ or /əˈspaɪərd/; UK /əˈspaɪə(d)/; AU /əˈspaɪəd/.
Two frequent errors: 1) Flatly pronouncing the /aɪ/ as /aɪə/ or /aɪə/ without proper glide, which weakens the /aɪ/ diphthong. 2) Dropping or softening the final /d/, or turning /ərd/ into /ər/ or /d/ merged too softly, leading to /ˈæspɜː/ or /ˈæspɪd/. Correction: maintain the /aɪ/ as a distinct glide, then ensure the final /ərd/ is crisp with a clear /d/ release. Practicing with minimal pairs like “spied” vs “spierd” can help confirm the /ɪər/ or /aɪə/ sequence before the /d/.
US: /əˈspaɪɚd/ with rhotic /ɚ/ in many dialects; UK: /əˈspaɪə(d)/ where /ɪə/ is often realized as a non-rhotic vowel, and final /d/ may be light or elided in some varieties; AU: /əˈspaɪəd/ with a management toward a flatter /ə/ in non-rhotic contexts and a longer /ɪə/ sequence in many speakers. The main difference is rhoticity and the precise resolution of the /ə/ and /ɪə/ sequences in the final syllable, plus the pace of the /j/ glide into /ər/ or /ə/.
The difficulty centers on the /aɪ/ diphthong followed quickly by /ər/ or /ɚ/ and a final /d/. Coordinating the gliding /aɪ/ with the successive rhotacized or non-rhotacized vowel — and keeping the /d/ crisp after a syllable-ending vowel — challenges many speakers, especially when moving between American and British accents where rhoticity and vowel reductions differ. Focus on the transition from /aɪ/ into /ər/ and ensure the /d/ has a clear release.
What makes /əˈspaɪərd/ distinctive is the strong second-syllable diphthong /aɪə/ or /aɪər/ followed by a strong /d/ release. The 'sp' cluster requires a controlled /s/ transition into /p/ without labialization that blurs the /sp/ sequence. Additionally, in non-rhotic accents the ending /ɜːd/ may relax to /ə(d)/; in rhotic accents you hear the /ɚ/ coloration before /d/. Practicing with a focus on the glide and final consonant distinction helps solidify accuracy.
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- Shadowing: Listen to 3-5 native samples of ‘aspired’ from Pronounce, Cambridge, or Forvo; repeat after 5-second delay, matching rhythm and intonation. - Minimal pairs: compare ‘aspired’ with ‘expired,’ ‘admired,’ ‘acquired’ to hear vowel and final consonant differences. - Rhythm practice: clap syllables and tap weak/strong beats: 2-2-1 (as-pired with stress on second syllable). Practice slowing to fast and maintain consistent /aɪ/ glide. - Intonation: in statements, net rising/falling after the root—practice falling intonation on the final clause; questions may rise slightly on final word depending on sentence type. - Stress patterns: place primary stress on the second syllable: /əˈspaɪərd/. - Recording: record yourself reading a paragraph; listen for crisp /d/ release and accurate diphthong. - Context sentences: 1) “She aspired to lead the team to success.” 2) “They aspired toward excellence, despite obstacles.” 3) “He aspired for recognition but worked quietly to earn it.”
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