What is the difference between aspiration and ambition?

Question

What is the difference between aspiration and ambition?

Answer 1

i think they are the same. maybe ambition is something you want to pursue to be while aspiration is the inspiration for that ambition which makes you want it

Answer 2

Ambition is having the will to implement your aspirations into tanglible results.

aspiration is what you will aspire to do.... there can be a plan and a dream but.......

without the ambition/implemention of that aspiration it would just remain a figment of your imagination.

I like the song lyrics that go........'The road was paved with good intention...'

The road is paved and you have good intentions but without letting the rubber hit the road you are not going to accomplish much.

One must implement their good intentions into actions.  

What it all boils down to is:

Ambition is having the will to implement your aspirations into tanglible results.

Answer 3

Well if you look in a dictionary of synonyms, both seem to have the same meaning. But I think ambition is used in the larger perspective. Ambition could be the "life time" thing for a person. For example, for you becoming a dancer could be the ambition of your life. Well again, you can also say  "I aspired to become a dancer".

Aspiration can be used to refer to the smaller wishes, sum total of which could lead to the ambition. The difference becomes evident, if you use the word ambition in this context. Would you be right, if you said, "I aimed to dance in that event/program." Don't you think "I aspired......" would be suitable.

The difficulty in English is that the usage of words, is not well defined. It depends on the nationality too. The pure and original meaning of words have undergone a sea of change. Most of the words, are considered archaic now. See any reference book on Modern English Usage.

If you see any old english classic books, you can see the sentences like, "Pray sit down...".  These days you would say, "Please have a seat..." Both sentences are grammatically correct. The usage is all that matters.

If you are ambitious, your sucess would depend on how far  you are prepared to compromise on your aspirations.

Answer 4

semantically speaking they are the same but at the practical and social level they are not.

an aspiration is rather a passive and weak attitude of some one who is expecting some kind of benefits from a certain position or situation (in a job, relation... ) it is something that will come to most probably by chance.

an ambition on the other hand is a goal that you must work hard to get; you have to fight for your ambitions and keep trying all possible solutions to get them.

Remember this: LIFE IS BUILT ON AMBITIONS NOT ASPIRATIONS.

Answer 5

Aspiration is linked with qualifications, ambitions are limitless of 'sheikhtulis', 'lying and closing their eyes'., as if THEY THINK................

Answer 6

Ambition is what you use to reach what you aspire for.

Answer 7

ambition is nothing but the Goal that is determined to achieve , but the aspiration is nothing but the inspiration to do.

Answer 8

aspire implies reach up to a higher level

ambition implies goal such as promotion, achievement, event.

Answer 9

An ambition and an aspiration are similar

However, an ambition is more generalised in what you may want to do. An aspiration is more specific to what the person wants to achieve.

I think that at the end, the two go hand in hand but to aspire is much more subject specific.

Hope that helped ^^