| Hoped |
| Aimed |
| Strove |
| Yearned |
| Set goals |
| Had hopes |
| Hoped for |
| Aimed high |
| Had dreams |
| Hoped (to) |
| Reached for |
| Sought status |
| Was ambitious |
| Had ambitions |
| Hoped (to be) |
| Sought (after) |
| Had high hopes |
| Eagerly desired |
| Aimed ambitiously |
| Sought ambitiously. |
| Aimed for, with "to |
| Tried for lofty goals |
| Sought after, with "to |
| Aimed ambitiously for, with "to |