ambition

1 of 2

noun

am·bi·tion am-ˈbi-shən How to pronounce ambition (audio)

: an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power

With her talent and fierce ambition, she became a very successful actress.

: desire to achieve a particular end

: the object of ambition

Her ambition is to start her own business.

US : a desire for activity or exertion

felt sick and had no ambition

ambitionless

am-ˈbi-shən-ləs How to pronounce ambition (audio)

adjective

ambition

2 of 2

verb

ambitioned; ambitioning; ambitions

transitive verb

: to have as one's ambition : desire

Did you know?

Ambition Has Roots in Roman Politics

When candidates for public office in ancient Rome wanted to be elected, they had to do just what modern candidates must do. They had to spend most of their time going around the city urging the citizens to vote for them. The Latin word for this effort was ambitio, which came from ambire, a verb meaning “to go around.” Since this activity was caused by a desire for honor or power, the word eventually came to mean “the desire for honor or power.” This word came into French and English as ambition in the late Middle Ages. Later its meaning broadened to include “an admirable desire for advancement or improvement” and still later “the object of this desire.”

Example Sentences

Noun My first ambition as a child was to be in the circus. He lacked ambition and couldn't compete with the others.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album — are satisfying in their ambition and urgency.

Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 9 Sep. 2022 When Baribeau arrived at Catholic Medical Center in 1992, the recently married 36-year-old surgeon was searching for a busy, growing practice to absorb his restless ambition.

BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 As part of the program, each senior was asked to stand and announce their ambition.

Nancy Anderson, Good Housekeeping, 5 Sep. 2022 As Beijing builds its power and elevates its ambition, Asia has become Washington’s principal focus in its defense of American global influence and the system of relationships, norms, and ideals that supports it.

Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2022 Ryan’s dad, Damion Hickman, is impressed with his fearlessness in front of the camera and his ambition.

Sarah Sekula, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Its share price ended Monday down more than 45% since Mr. Gelsinger detailed his chip-making ambition last year, compared with an 8% retreat in the PHLX Semiconductor Index.

Asa Fitch, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 Spiegel and his team deserve a pinch of praise for their ambition.

Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2022 Your ambition regarding personal and professional matters may be supercharged today.

Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2022

Verb

But the Kushners’ empire, like Trump’s, was underwritten by years of dealing in much more modestly ambitioned properties.

Alec Macgillis/propublica, New York Times, 23 May 2017 See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ambicioun, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French ambicion, borrowed from Latin ambitiōn-, ambitiō "act of soliciting for votes, running for public office, striving after popularity, desire for advancement," from ambīre "to encircle, visit in rotation, solicit (political support), seek to obtain" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at ambient entry 1

Verb

derivative of ambition entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1601, in the meaning defined above

ambition

noun

as in aspiration

eager desire for personal advancement "Talent without ambition will not make you a star," the singer's voice coach liked to remind her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

aspiration
ambitiousness
determination
motivation
opportunism
greed
initiative
competitiveness
energy
passion
go-getting
aggression
diligence
industry
push
eagerness
enterprise
hustle
avarice
daring
assertiveness
drive
spirit
go
pretentiousness
keenness
hunger
ardor
avidity
pushiness
killer instinct
overambitiousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

indifference
apathy
unconcern
laziness
indolence
lethargy
inertia
idleness
halfheartedness
shiftlessness
sloth

as in initiative

readiness to engage in daring or difficult activity the ambition shown by the undersea explorers of the Mariana Trench, the deepest in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

initiative
action
drive
enterprise
aggressiveness
spirit
vigor
grit
hustle
ambitiousness
energy
go
gumption
pluck
spunk
assertiveness
starch
vitality
killer instinct
pep
hardihood
self-reliance
overambitiousness
snap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

inertia
reluctance
timidity
diffidence
passivity
hesitation
inactivity
laziness
indolence
lethargy
faintheartedness

as in goal

something that one hopes or intends to accomplish his ambition is to study international business, then get a job overseas

Synonyms & Similar Words

goal
purpose
aim
intention
plan
intent
idea
objective
dream
aspiration
object
thing
meaning
design
ideal
target
pretension
point
desire
end
project
mark
bourne
hope
name of the game
bourn
wish
mind
scheme
plot
destination
grail
holy grail
nirvana
terminus

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

way
means
method

Synonym Chooser

The words aspiration and pretension are common synonyms of ambition. While all three words mean "strong desire for advancement," ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire.

driven by ambition

Although the words aspiration and ambition have much in common, aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

an aspiration to become president someday

In some situations, the words pretension and ambition are roughly equivalent. However, pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

has literary pretensions

单词	ambition
释义	ambition 1 of 2 noun am·bi·tion am-ˈbi-shən 1 a : an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power With her talent and fierce ambition, she became a very successful actress. b : desire to achieve a particular end 2 : the object of ambition Her ambition is to start her own business. 3 US : a desire for activity or exertion felt sick and had no ambition ambitionless am-ˈbi-shən-ləs adjective ambition 2 of 2 verb ambitioned; ambitioning; ambitions transitive verb : to have as one's ambition : desire Did you know? Ambition Has Roots in Roman Politics When candidates for public office in ancient Rome wanted to be elected, they had to do just what modern candidates must do. They had to spend most of their time going around the city urging the citizens to vote for them. The Latin word for this effort was ambitio, which came from ambire, a verb meaning “to go around.” Since this activity was caused by a desire for honor or power, the word eventually came to mean “the desire for honor or power.” This word came into French and English as ambition in the late Middle Ages. Later its meaning broadened to include “an admirable desire for advancement or improvement” and still later “the object of this desire.” Synonyms Noun ambitiousness aspiration go-getting See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun My first ambition as a child was to be in the circus. He lacked ambition and couldn't compete with the others. Recent Examples on the Web Noun Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album — are satisfying in their ambition and urgency. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 9 Sep. 2022 When Baribeau arrived at Catholic Medical Center in 1992, the recently married 36-year-old surgeon was searching for a busy, growing practice to absorb his restless ambition. BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 As part of the program, each senior was asked to stand and announce their ambition. Nancy Anderson, Good Housekeeping, 5 Sep. 2022 As Beijing builds its power and elevates its ambition, Asia has become Washington’s principal focus in its defense of American global influence and the system of relationships, norms, and ideals that supports it. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2022 Ryan’s dad, Damion Hickman, is impressed with his fearlessness in front of the camera and his ambition. Sarah Sekula, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Its share price ended Monday down more than 45% since Mr. Gelsinger detailed his chip-making ambition last year, compared with an 8% retreat in the PHLX Semiconductor Index. Asa Fitch, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 Spiegel and his team deserve a pinch of praise for their ambition. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2022 Your ambition regarding personal and professional matters may be supercharged today. Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2022 Verb But the Kushners’ empire, like Trump’s, was underwritten by years of dealing in much more modestly ambitioned properties. Alec Macgillis/propublica, New York Times, 23 May 2017 See More Word History Etymology Noun Middle English ambicioun, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French ambicion, borrowed from Latin ambitiōn-, ambitiō "act of soliciting for votes, running for public office, striving after popularity, desire for advancement," from ambīre "to encircle, visit in rotation, solicit (political support), seek to obtain" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at ambient entry 1 Verb derivative of ambition entry 1 First Known Use Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb 1601, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing ambition life's ambition life's ambition Kids Definition ambition noun am·bi·tion am-ˈbi-shən 1 : a desire for success, honor, or power 2 : something a person hopes to do or achieve My ambition is to become a jet pilot. 3 : the drive to do things and be active I'm tired and have no ambition. ambition noun 1 as in aspiration eager desire for personal advancement "Talent without ambition will not make you a star," the singer's voice coach liked to remind her Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance aspiration ambitiousness determination motivation opportunism greed initiative competitiveness energy passion go-getting aggression diligence industry push eagerness enterprise hustle avarice daring assertiveness drive spirit go pretentiousness keenness hunger ardor avidity pushiness killer instinct overambitiousness Antonyms & Near Antonyms indifference apathy unconcern laziness indolence lethargy inertia idleness halfheartedness shiftlessness sloth See More 2 as in initiative readiness to engage in daring or difficult activity the ambition shown by the undersea explorers of the Mariana Trench, the deepest in the world Synonyms & Similar Words initiative action drive enterprise aggressiveness spirit vigor grit hustle ambitiousness energy go gumption pluck spunk assertiveness starch vitality killer instinct pep hardihood self-reliance overambitiousness snap Antonyms & Near Antonyms inertia reluctance timidity diffidence passivity hesitation inactivity laziness indolence lethargy faintheartedness See More 3 as in goal something that one hopes or intends to accomplish his ambition is to study international business, then get a job overseas Synonyms & Similar Words goal purpose aim intention plan intent idea objective dream aspiration object thing meaning design ideal target pretension point desire end project mark bourne hope name of the game bourn wish mind scheme plot destination grail holy grail nirvana terminus Antonyms & Near Antonyms way means method Synonym Chooser The words aspiration and pretension are common synonyms of ambition. While all three words mean "strong desire for advancement," ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire. driven by ambition Although the words aspiration and ambition have much in common, aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself. an aspiration to become president someday In some situations, the words pretension and ambition are roughly equivalent. However, pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption. has literary pretensions
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ambition

noun

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing ambition

Kids Definition

noun

noun

Synonym Chooser