What does aspirationally mean?
Aspirationally means “in a way characterized by hopes, ambitions, or ideal goals.” It is especially common in formal writing about social, political, institutional, or personal aspirations. A sentence or policy that is described as aspirationally ambitious may express an admirable long-term objective without claiming that the objective has already been achieved. The word therefore has a forward-looking connotation and can emphasize the difference between present conditions and a hoped-for future. In political and organizational contexts, it may carry a mildly critical implication: describing something as aspirationally equal, inclusive, or sustainable can acknowledge that it falls short of those ideals in practice. Aspirationally is the adverb corresponding to the adjective aspirational and is related to the noun aspiration. It is used in both British and American English, though it remains more specialized and less common than aspirational itself.
adverbIn a way that expresses hopes, ambitions, or ideal goals, especially with regard to achieving a more desirable future.
- In a manner characterized by high hopes, ambitions, or ideals, especially concerning a more desirable future.
"She wrote aspirationally about a more just and sustainable society."
"The organization remained aspirationally committed to equal access to education."
"The essay is aspirationally bold, presenting a vision of society far beyond current practice."
Aspirationally describes not only what people hope for, but also the gap between their ideals and present reality.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does aspirationally come from?
Aspirationally was formed in modern English by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to aspirational. Its base word, aspiration, comes from aspirate and ultimately from Latin aspirare, meaning “to breathe upon” or “to aspire,” with ad- and spirare, “to breathe.” The same Latin root spirare underlies cognate English words including aspire and inspire.
Related word forms
How aspirationally is actually used
The word is most common in formal, academic, political, and policy contexts. It can sound idealistic and forward-looking, but it may also suggest a distance between stated goals and what has actually been achieved.
Easily confused with aspirationally
“Aspirational” is an adjective describing ideals or ambitions, while “aspirationally” is an adverb describing the manner in which something is expressed or approached.
“Aspiration” is a noun meaning a hope or ambition, whereas “aspirationally” describes the way something is approached in relation to such hopes or ambitions.