imtoken钱包官网下载安卓|ambition

作者: imtoken钱包官网下载安卓
2024-03-11 02:38:18

AMBITION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

AMBITION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Dictionary

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

+Plus

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in

/

Sign up

English (UK)

Search

Search

English

Meaning of ambition in English

ambitionnoun uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃ.ən/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃ.ən/

Add to word list

Add to word list

B1 [ C ] a strong wish to achieve something: [ + to infinitive ] His ambition is ultimately to run his own business. He has already achieved his main ambition in life - to become wealthy. political ambitions She doubts whether she'll ever be able to fulfil her ambition. I've always had a burning (= very great) ambition to be a film director. After his heart attack, he abandoned his ambition to become prime minister. Synonyms

aim (INTENTION)

aspiration (HOPE)

dream (HOPE)

goal (AIM)

hope

intent formal or specialized

intention

object (PURPOSE)

objective

target (AIM)

B2 [ U ] a strong wish to be successful, powerful, rich, etc.: She has a lot of ambition.

More examplesFewer examplesHer ambition and dogged determination ensured that she rose to the top of her profession.We are looking for someone with drive and ambition.Driving ambition is what most great leaders have in common.Being here is the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.She finally achieved her ambition to visit South America.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Goals and purposes

affordance

avail

cause

dedicated

deflect

deliverable

dream

eye

key performance indicator

KPI

moonshot

objective

point

poodle

target

thought

towards

undedicated

undirected

unfocused

See more results »

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

ambition | American Dictionary

ambitionnoun [ C/U ] us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃ·ən/

Add to word list

Add to word list

a strong desire for success, achievement, power, or wealth: [ C ] His presidential ambitions were frustrated in the 1980s. [ U ] No one ever accused him of lacking ambition.

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

ambition | Business English

ambitionnoun uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃən/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

Add to word list

Add to word list

[ C ] a strong wish to achieve a particular thing: ambition to do sth After his heart attack, he abandoned his ambition to become CEO.achieve/fulfil/realize your ambition He has already achieved his main ambition in life - to become rich.ultimate/long-term ambition Her ultimate ambition is to run her own business. career ambitions. political/personal/artistic ambitions

[ U ] a strong wish to be successful: She's got a lot of ambition. I felt he lacked the ambition to succeed in showbusiness.

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of ambition

ambition

To this end, in this article, we identify the main research motivations and ambitions behind work in the field.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The personalities, ambitions, actions and ideas of the latter, in turn, contribute to shape the profiles of the parties and decisively affect their performance.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The thematic links, however, betray some of the ambitions of anthro-literary writing.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Plain good fortune had presented him with just the sort of connections he needed to match his sizeable ambitions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The army was pulled between the ambitions and goals of rival leaders.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

During the 1960s and early 1970s, government raised policy ambitions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Bonds to partisan groups or personal career ambitions may interfere with the political mandate.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Given the ambitions held for it by its initiators, failure is little surprise.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The 1997 survey included questions on employment and resources, and on plans and ambitions across a range of areas of personal and family life.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Party-political, factional and personal ambitions were also very much in evidence in the list of issues that influenced the final shape the border would take.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Given the similarity of constructivist ambitions, there may be fruitful connections to exploit between these two programs.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In fact, modern history is full of examples that show how politicians, to divide people and realize their own selfish ambitions, have exploited this hostility.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

At least some zemstva also nurtured ambitions to profit from international trade and to compete with the state for the privilege of taxing grain exports.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

As used by junior scholars, acknowledgments mark an effort to enter the academic world, their expectations and ambitions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Furthermore, the trend mainly consists of families without immediate ambitions of entering national politics.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of ambition

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with ambition

ambition

These are words often used in combination with ambition.Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

artistic ambitionHowever, since the next paragraph again shows, this de-spatialisation nevertheless led to the birth of a new artistic ambition.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

career ambitionThe report focuses on the comparison between career ambition and eventual destination, presenting this in the framework of career identities.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

lack of ambitionIts lack of imagination and lack of ambition are amazing.

From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English  

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

See all collocations with ambition

What is the pronunciation of ambition?

 

B1,B2

Translations of ambition

in Chinese (Traditional)

抱負, 志向, 雄心…

See more

in Chinese (Simplified)

抱负, 志向, 雄心…

See more

in Spanish

ambición, ambición [feminine]…

See more

in Portuguese

ambição, ambição [feminine], objetivo [masculine]…

See more

in more languages

in Marathi

in Japanese

in Turkish

in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

in Gujarati

in Danish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Urdu

in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

in Czech

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Korean

in Italian

काहीतरी साध्य करण्याची तीव्र इच्छा, महत्वाकांक्षा, यशस्वी…

See more

念願, 大志, 野心…

See more

hırs, tutku, ihtiras…

See more

ambition [feminine], ambition…

See more

ambició…

See more

eerzucht, ambitie…

See more

எதையாவது சாதிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற வலுவான ஆசை, வெற்றிகரமான, சக்திவாய்ந்த…

See more

महत्वाकांक्षा, (कामयाब, ताकतवर…

See more

મહત્વાકાંક્ષા, પ્રબળ ઈચ્છા, સફળ…

See more

ambition, ærgærrighed…

See more

ärelystnad, ambition, strävan…

See more

cita-cita…

See more

der Ehrgeiz, die Ambition…

See more

ambisjoner [masculine, plural], ærgjerrighet [masculine]…

See more

شدیدخواہش, عزم, جاہ طلب…

See more

честолюбство, амбіція, прагнення…

See more

цель, целеустремленность…

See more

ఆశయం, ఆభ్యుదయేచ్ఛ…

See more

مَطمَح, طُموح…

See more

উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষা, উচ্চাশা…

See more

ambice, cíl…

See more

ambisi…

See more

ความทะเยอทะยาน, ความปรารถนาอันแรงกล้า…

See more

khát vọng, tham vọng…

See more

ambicja…

See more

꿈, 야망…

See more

ambizione…

See more

Need a translator?

Get a quick, free translation!

Translator tool

 

Browse

ambiguity

ambiguous

ambiguously

ambit

ambition

ambitious

ambitiously

ambivalence

ambivalent

More meanings of ambition

All

vaulting ambition phrase

vaulting ambition

See all meanings

Idioms and phrases

vaulting ambition phrase

Word of the Day

lifestyle

UK

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

US

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

someone's way of living; the things that a person or particular group of people usually do

About this

Blog

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

Read More

New Words

stochastic parrot

March 04, 2024

More new words

has been added to list

To top

Contents

EnglishAmericanBusinessExamplesCollocationsTranslations

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Learn

Learn

Learn

New Words

Help

In Print

Word of the Year 2021

Word of the Year 2022

Word of the Year 2023

Develop

Develop

Develop

Dictionary API

Double-Click Lookup

Search Widgets

License Data

About

About

About

Accessibility

Cambridge English

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Consent Management

Cookies and Privacy

Corpus

Terms of Use

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Dictionary

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Translations

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in /

Sign up

English (UK)  

Change

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Follow us

Choose a dictionary

Recent and Recommended

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Grammar and thesaurus

Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

British and American pronunciations with audio

English Pronunciation

Translation

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Dictionary +Plus

Word Lists

Choose your language

English (UK)  

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Contents

English 

 Noun

American 

 Noun

Business 

 Noun

Examples

Collocations

Translations

Grammar

All translations

My word lists

Add ambition to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

More

Go to your word lists

Tell us about this example sentence:

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

Ambition Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Ambition Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Menu Toggle

Merriam-Webster Logo

Games & Quizzes

Games & Quizzes

Word of the Day

Grammar

Wordplay

Word Finder

Thesaurus

Join MWU

Shop

Books

Merch

Settings

My Words

Recents

Account

Log Out

More

Thesaurus

Join MWU

Shop

Books

Merch

Log In

Username

My Words

Recents

Account

Log Out

Est. 1828

Dictionary

Definition

noun

verb

noun

2

noun

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing

Entries Near

Cite this EntryCitation

Share

Kids DefinitionKids

More from M-W

Show more

Show more

Citation

Share

Kids

More from M-W

Save Word

To save this word, you'll need to log in.

Log In

ambition

1 of 2

noun

am·​bi·​tion

am-ˈbi-shən 

Synonyms of ambition

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 in Thesaurus 

Choose the Right Synonym for ambition

ambition, aspiration, pretension 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

aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

an aspiration to become president someday

pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

has literary pretensions

Examples of ambition in a Sentence

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 WebNoun

Season 8 feels like a monument to flawed ambition and flailing Peak TV decadence, all massive battle scenes and brainless strategy.

—Darren Franich, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024

First elected to the Senate in 1984, McConnell was soon driven by a singular political ambition to become majority leader.

—Susan Davis, NPR, 28 Feb. 2024

As Davis and Boring’s ambitions around Vegas grew bigger, so too did red flags raised by employees.

—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024

Here’s what mothers with too much aggression and ambition can do to their sons, the movie says — turn them into hollow-eyed zombies, sapped of the very autonomy that defines maleness.

—Mark Harris Keita Morimoto, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024

But Gill’s ambition is for Confide to guide people down a different path.

—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2024

The kingdom’s ambition to lead in renewable energy and AI was clear, with initiatives aimed at positioning Saudi Arabia as a hub for innovation and sustainable development.

—Mark Minevich, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024

Yet its ambition and spectacle are hard to dismiss.

—Chris Nashawaty, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2024

Executives face the frustrating disconnect between ambition and execution, with teams entangled in competing priorities and internal resistance.

—Forrester, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024

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

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ambition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of ambition was

in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Phrases Containing ambition

life's ambition

Dictionary Entries Near ambition

ambit

ambition

ambitious

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

Style

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster

“Ambition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambition. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Post the Definition of ambition to Facebook

Facebook

Share the Definition of ambition on Twitter

Twitter

Kids Definition

ambition

noun

am·​bi·​tion

am-ˈbish-ən

1

a

: an eager desire for social standing, fame, or power

b

: desire to achieve a particular goal : aspiration

2

: the particular goal of ambition

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ambition "desire for power," from early French ambition (same meaning), derived from Latin ambire "to go around," from ambi- "around" and ire "to go"

Word Origin

When political candidates in ancient Rome wanted to be elected, they had to do what modern candidates must do. They had to spend 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 "ambition" 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."

More from Merriam-Webster on ambition

Nglish: Translation of ambition for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ambition for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated:

3 Mar 2024

- Updated example sentences

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Merriam-Webster unabridged

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Play

Play

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Play

Play

Word of the Day

obeisance

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

8 Grammar Terms You Used to Know, But Forgot

Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

10 Lesser-Known Reduplications

The Words of the Week - Mar. 8

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels

12 More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

8 Uncommon Words Related to Love

See All

Games & Quizzes

See All

Quordle

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Play

Blossom Word Game

You can make only 12 words. Pick the best ones!

Play

Missing Letter

A crossword with a twist

Play

Spelling Bee Quiz

Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...

Take the quiz

Merriam Webster

Learn a new word every day. Delivered to your inbox!

Help

About Us

Advertising Info

Contact Us

Diversity

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

© 2024 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Just a moment...

a moment...Enable JavaScript and cookies to conti

AMBITION Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

AMBITION Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

GamesDaily CrosswordWord PuzzleWord FinderAll gamesFeaturedWord of the DaySynonym of the DayWord of the YearNew wordsLanguage storiesAll featuredPop cultureSlangEmojiMemesAcronymsGender and sexualityAll pop cultureWriting tipsGrammar Coach™Writing hubGrammar essentialsCommonly confusedAll writing tipsGamesFeaturedPop cultureWriting tipsambition[ am-bish-uhn ]show ipaSee synonyms for: ambitionambitions on Thesaurus.comnounan earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment: Too much ambition caused him to be disliked by his colleagues.the object, state, or result desired or sought after: The crown was his ambition.desire for work or activity; energy: I awoke feeling tired and utterly lacking in ambition.See moreverb (used with object)to seek after earnestly; aspire to.Origin of ambition1First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ambicio(u)n, from Middle French or directly from Latin ambitiōn- (stem of ambitiō ), equivalent to amb- ambi- + -i- “go” + -t- past participle suffix + -iōn- -ionOther words for ambition1 aspiration, yearning, longing 2 goal, aim 3 drive, forceSee synonyms for ambition on Thesaurus.comOther words from ambitionam·bi·tion·less, adjectiveam·bi·tion·less·ly, adverbpre·am·bi·tion, nounsu·per·am·bi·tion, nounWords Nearby ambitionambisinisterambisonicsambisyllabicambitambitendencyambitionambitiousambivalenceambivalentambivalent sexismambiversionDictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024How to use ambition in a sentencePelosi had resisted demands from moderates in her caucus to narrow her ambitions or put a new bill on the floor, insisting that Republicans should be the ones to offer new concessions.Pelosi abruptly shifts course, restarts relief push amid signs economy is straining | Erica Werner, Rachael Bade | September 24, 2020 | Washington PostHowever, its near term target of peaking emissions before 2030 is unaltered and it is this near term ambition that counts….Experts praise China’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2060—but more could be done | eamonbarrett | September 24, 2020 | FortuneThis was the central ambition of a number of no-longer-existing startups over 10 years ago.Google boosting visibility of ‘nearby’ product inventory with new Shopping features | Greg Sterling | September 16, 2020 | Search Engine LandThe program, which is an expansion of one Walmart began testing last year for free grocery delivery, is another signal of the retailer’s growing e-commerce ambitions.America’s largest retailer is taking on Amazon Prime | Marc Bain | September 4, 2020 | QuartzIf ambition doesn’t inhabit you, you wonder what all the hubbub is about.Bethenny Frankel Reveals Why She’s an ‘Animal’ | Eugene Robinson | September 2, 2020 | OzyThe other narrative is of mobility in the service of ambition.Will Texas Stay Texan? | David Fontana | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTTheir authors promise that your spirit will be improved, your ambition honed, and your finances maximized by their advice.Can Self-Help Books Really Make a New You? | Lizzie Crocker | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd it led him in his teenage years to declare his ambition to become a cop.In The Shadow of Murdered Cops | Michael Daly | December 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTReid planted a flag, ready to make his mark in the world of whisky, backed by ambition and a gorgeous piece of land.Ester Elchies, The Estate Built By Whiskey | | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe made little secret of his ambition to become the next prime minister, much to the chagrin of Netanyahu.Goodbye to Israel’s Lousy Government (Let’s Hope the Next One Isn’t Worse) | Alon Ben-Meir | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTGreater mischiefs happen often from folly, meanness, and vanity than from the greater sins of avarice and ambition.Pearls of Thought | Maturin M. BallouTo talk German was beyond the sweep of my dizziest ambition, but an Italian runner or porter instantly presented himself.Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyHe went on, ruminating on the vain shadow, into which his over-heated ambition to act and to be distinguished, had involved him.The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterSo far Murat had always held subordinate commands; his great ambition was to become the commander-in-chief of an independent army.Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonNoble ambition—worthy of a less ignoble cause—a better fate!Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV. | VariousSee More ExamplesBritish Dictionary definitions for ambitionambition/ (æmˈbɪʃən) /nounstrong desire for success, achievement, or distinctionsomething so desired; goal; aimOrigin of ambition1C14: from Old French, from Latin ambitiō a going round (of candidates), a striving to please, from ambīre to go round; see ambitCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition

© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Browse#aabbccddeeffgghhiijjkkllmmnnooppqqrrssttuuvvwwxxyyzzAboutCareersShopContact usAdvertise with usCookies, terms, & privacyDo not sell my infoFollow usGet the Word of the Day every day!Sign upBy clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.My account© 2024 Dictionary.com, LLC

AMBITION Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

AMBITION Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

Menu Toggle

Merriam-Webster Logo

Games & Quizzes

Games & Quizzes

Word of the Day

Grammar

Wordplay

Word Finder

Thesaurus

Join MWU

Shop

Books

Merch

Settings

My Words

Recents

Account

Log Out

More

Thesaurus

Join MWU

Shop

Books

Merch

Log In

Username

My Words

Recents

Account

Log Out

Est. 1828

Thesaurus

Synonyms of ambition

as in aspiration

as in initiative

as in goal

as in aspirationas in initiativeas in goal

Synonym Chooser

Entries Near

Cite this EntryCitation

Share

More from M-W

Show more

Show more

Citation

Share

More from M-W

Save Word

To save this word, you'll need to log in.

Log In

ambition

noun

Definition of ambition

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

determination

motivation

ambitiousness

opportunism

initiative

energy

greed

competitiveness

passion

go-getting

industry

aggression

diligence

push

enterprise

hustle

drive

eagerness

daring

assertiveness

spirit

avarice

go

killer instinct

pretentiousness

hunger

avidity

ardor

pushiness

keenness

overambitiousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

indifference

apathy

unconcern

inertia

lethargy

laziness

indolence

idleness

halfheartedness

sloth

shiftlessness

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

spirit

aggressiveness

vigor

hustle

grit

energy

go

gumption

pluck

ambitiousness

spunk

assertiveness

starch

self-reliance

killer instinct

vitality

pep

hardihood

overambitiousness

snap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

inertia

passivity

reluctance

inactivity

timidity

diffidence

hesitation

lethargy

laziness

indolence

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

plan

aim

intention

intent

idea

objective

dream

object

thing

aspiration

meaning

design

target

ideal

point

end

pretension

project

desire

mark

hope

name of the game

bourn

bourne

scheme

mind

wish

plot

destination

grail

holy grail

nirvana

terminus

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

means

way

method

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ambition different from other nouns like it?

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

When would aspiration be a good substitute for 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 what contexts can pretension take the place of ambition?

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

Thesaurus Entries Near ambition

ambit

ambition

ambitionless

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

Style

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster

“Ambition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambition. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Post more words for ambition to Facebook

Facebook

Share more words for ambition on Twitter

Twitter

More from Merriam-Webster on ambition

Nglish: Translation of ambition for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ambition for Arabic Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Merriam-Webster unabridged

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Play

Play

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Play

Play

Word of the Day

obeisance

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

8 Grammar Terms You Used to Know, But Forgot

Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

10 Lesser-Known Reduplications

The Words of the Week - Mar. 8

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels

12 More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

8 Uncommon Words Related to Love

See All

Games & Quizzes

See All

Quordle

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Play

Blossom Word Game

You can make only 12 words. Pick the best ones!

Play

Missing Letter

A crossword with a twist

Play

Spelling Bee Quiz

Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...

Take the quiz

Merriam Webster

Learn a new word every day. Delivered to your inbox!

Help

About Us

Advertising Info

Contact Us

Diversity

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

© 2024 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Just a moment...

a moment...Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue

AMBITION | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

AMBITION | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

Dictionary

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

+Plus

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in

/

Sign up

English (UK)

Search

Search

Learner’s Dictionary

Meaning of ambition – Learner’s Dictionary

ambitionnoun uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃən/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

ambition noun

(HOPE)

Add to word list

Add to word list

B1 something you want to achieve in your life: My ambition is to retire at forty.

More examplesFewer examplesto achieve an ambitionBeing here is the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.Her ambition is ultimately to run her own company.He had realized all his ambitions by the age of 30.

ambition noun

(FEELING)

B2 a strong feeling that you want to be successful or powerful: My sister always had more ambition than me. ruthless ambition

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of ambition

in Chinese (Traditional)

抱負, 志向, 雄心…

See more

in Chinese (Simplified)

抱负, 志向, 雄心…

See more

in Spanish

ambición, ambición [feminine]…

See more

in Portuguese

ambição, ambição [feminine], objetivo [masculine]…

See more

in more languages

in Marathi

in Japanese

in Turkish

in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

in Gujarati

in Danish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Urdu

in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

in Czech

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Korean

in Italian

काहीतरी साध्य करण्याची तीव्र इच्छा, महत्वाकांक्षा, यशस्वी…

See more

念願, 大志, 野心…

See more

hırs, tutku, ihtiras…

See more

ambition [feminine], ambition…

See more

ambició…

See more

eerzucht, ambitie…

See more

எதையாவது சாதிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற வலுவான ஆசை, வெற்றிகரமான, சக்திவாய்ந்த…

See more

महत्वाकांक्षा, (कामयाब, ताकतवर…

See more

મહત્વાકાંક્ષા, પ્રબળ ઈચ્છા, સફળ…

See more

ambition, ærgærrighed…

See more

ärelystnad, ambition, strävan…

See more

cita-cita…

See more

der Ehrgeiz, die Ambition…

See more

ambisjoner [masculine, plural], ærgjerrighet [masculine]…

See more

شدیدخواہش, عزم, جاہ طلب…

See more

честолюбство, амбіція, прагнення…

See more

цель, целеустремленность…

See more

ఆశయం, ఆభ్యుదయేచ్ఛ…

See more

مَطمَح, طُموح…

See more

উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষা, উচ্চাশা…

See more

ambice, cíl…

See more

ambisi…

See more

ความทะเยอทะยาน, ความปรารถนาอันแรงกล้า…

See more

khát vọng, tham vọng…

See more

ambicja…

See more

꿈, 야망…

See more

ambizione…

See more

Need a translator?

Get a quick, free translation!

Translator tool

 

Browse

amber

ambience

ambiguity

ambiguous

ambition

ambitious

ambivalent

amble

ambulance

More Learner's Dictionary definitions for ambition

All

burning ambition/desire, etc

fulfil an ambition/dream/goal, etc

realize an ambition/dream/goal, etc

See all meanings

Word of the Day

lifestyle

UK

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

US

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

someone's way of living; the things that a person or particular group of people usually do

About this

Blog

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

Read More

New Words

stochastic parrot

March 04, 2024

More new words

has been added to list

To top

Contents

Learner’s DictionaryTranslations

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Learn

Learn

Learn

New Words

Help

In Print

Word of the Year 2021

Word of the Year 2022

Word of the Year 2023

Develop

Develop

Develop

Dictionary API

Double-Click Lookup

Search Widgets

License Data

About

About

About

Accessibility

Cambridge English

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Consent Management

Cookies and Privacy

Corpus

Terms of Use

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Dictionary

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Translations

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in /

Sign up

English (UK)  

Change

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Follow us

Choose a dictionary

Recent and Recommended

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Grammar and thesaurus

Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

British and American pronunciations with audio

English Pronunciation

Translation

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Dictionary +Plus

Word Lists

Choose your language

English (UK)  

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Contents

Learner’s Dictionary 

 

Noun 

ambition (HOPE)

ambition (FEELING)

Translations

Grammar

All translations

My word lists

Add ambition to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

More

Go to your word lists

Tell us about this example sentence:

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

AMBITION | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

AMBITION | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

Dictionary

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

+Plus

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in

/

Sign up

English (US)

Search

Search

English

Meaning of ambition in English

ambitionnoun us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃ.ən/ uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃ.ən/

Add to word list

Add to word list

B1 [ C ] a strong wish to achieve something: [ + to infinitive ] His ambition is ultimately to run his own business. He has already achieved his main ambition in life - to become wealthy. political ambitions She doubts whether she'll ever be able to fulfill her ambition. I've always had a burning (= very great) ambition to be a movie director. After his heart attack, he abandoned his ambition to become prime minister. Synonyms

aim (INTENTION)

aspiration (HOPE)

dream (HOPE)

goal (AIM)

hope

intent formal or specialized

intention

object (PURPOSE)

objective

target (AIM)

B2 [ U ] a strong wish to be successful, powerful, rich, etc.: She has a lot of ambition.

More examplesFewer examplesHer ambition and dogged determination ensured that she rose to the top of her profession.We are looking for someone with drive and ambition.Driving ambition is what most great leaders have in common.Being here is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.She finally achieved her ambition to visit South America.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Goals and purposes

affordance

avail

cause

dedicated

deflect

deliverable

dream

eye

key performance indicator

KPI

moonshot

objective

point

poodle

target

thought

toward

undedicated

undirected

unfocused

See more results »

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

ambition | Intermediate English

ambitionnoun [ C/U ] us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃ·ən/

Add to word list

Add to word list

a strong desire for success, achievement, power, or wealth: [ C ] His presidential ambitions were frustrated in the 1980s. [ U ] No one ever accused him of lacking ambition.

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

ambition | Business English

ambitionnoun uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/æmˈbɪʃən/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

Add to word list

Add to word list

[ C ] a strong wish to achieve a particular thing: ambition to do sth After his heart attack, he abandoned his ambition to become CEO.achieve/fulfil/realize your ambition He has already achieved his main ambition in life - to become rich.ultimate/long-term ambition Her ultimate ambition is to run her own business. career ambitions. political/personal/artistic ambitions

[ U ] a strong wish to be successful: She's got a lot of ambition. I felt he lacked the ambition to succeed in showbusiness.

(Definition of ambition from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of ambition

ambition

One of the hip-hop superstar's claims to fame is his lofty artistic ambition, which renders his current performances distinct and invigorating.

From MLive.com

The reason, according to the report, was related to the program's ambition, size and speed.

From Los Angeles Times

Do you have wider ambitions than collecting and stockpiling information?

From The Atlantic

The challenge it takes to successfully juggle a job, finances, family, and a personal life with your goals, drive and ambitions.

From Huffington Post

Ambition and drive are great, but so are setting realistic expectations and maintaining sanity.

From Huffington Post

He recommends complimenting attributes such as having your own mind, standing up for your beliefs, showing initiative, and having goals and ambitions.

From Huffington Post

What can then explain the control ambition has over me today?

From TechCrunch

On the other hand he demands that governments open the doors to opportunity for every citizen to develop his or her talents and ambitions.

From Huffington Post

Ambition drives people forward; relationships and community, by imposing limits, hold people back.

From The Atlantic

But how can you not, if your ambition is not to merely model a look but to represent the only soul you have?

From Slate Magazine

The press flew into a frenzy, and some pundits deemed the remark an unseemly display of ambition.

From TIME

Raise helps students pursue their college ambitions with confidence and adds transparency to the scholarships process.

From TechCrunch

It is but one part of our ambition to help our region continue to advance as one of the country's top hotbeds for innovation.

From The Seattle Times

He's the rare filmmaker with the ambition to make great statements on a grand scale, and the vision and guts to realize them.

From TIME

And let's face it, mentor and mentee, torn apart by ambition -- that's the stuff of legend, right there.

From Huffington Post

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with ambition

ambition

These are words often used in combination with ambition. Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

artistic ambitionHowever, since the next paragraph again shows, this de-spatialisation nevertheless led to the birth of a new artistic ambition.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

career ambitionThe report focuses on the comparison between career ambition and eventual destination, presenting this in the framework of career identities.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

lack of ambitionIts lack of imagination and lack of ambition are amazing.

From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English  

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

See all collocations with ambition

What is the pronunciation of ambition?

 

B1,B2

Translations of ambition

in Chinese (Traditional)

抱負, 志向, 雄心…

See more

in Chinese (Simplified)

抱负, 志向, 雄心…

See more

in Spanish

ambición, ambición [feminine]…

See more

in Portuguese

ambição, ambição [feminine], objetivo [masculine]…

See more

in more languages

in Marathi

in Japanese

in Turkish

in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

in Gujarati

in Danish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Urdu

in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

in Czech

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Korean

in Italian

काहीतरी साध्य करण्याची तीव्र इच्छा, महत्वाकांक्षा, यशस्वी…

See more

念願, 大志, 野心…

See more

hırs, tutku, ihtiras…

See more

ambition [feminine], ambition…

See more

ambició…

See more

eerzucht, ambitie…

See more

எதையாவது சாதிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற வலுவான ஆசை, வெற்றிகரமான, சக்திவாய்ந்த…

See more

महत्वाकांक्षा, (कामयाब, ताकतवर…

See more

મહત્વાકાંક્ષા, પ્રબળ ઈચ્છા, સફળ…

See more

ambition, ærgærrighed…

See more

ärelystnad, ambition, strävan…

See more

cita-cita…

See more

der Ehrgeiz, die Ambition…

See more

ambisjoner [masculine, plural], ærgjerrighet [masculine]…

See more

شدیدخواہش, عزم, جاہ طلب…

See more

честолюбство, амбіція, прагнення…

See more

цель, целеустремленность…

See more

ఆశయం, ఆభ్యుదయేచ్ఛ…

See more

مَطمَح, طُموح…

See more

উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষা, উচ্চাশা…

See more

ambice, cíl…

See more

ambisi…

See more

ความทะเยอทะยาน, ความปรารถนาอันแรงกล้า…

See more

khát vọng, tham vọng…

See more

ambicja…

See more

꿈, 야망…

See more

ambizione…

See more

Need a translator?

Get a quick, free translation!

Translator tool

 

Browse

ambiguity

ambiguous

ambiguously

ambit

ambition

ambitious

ambitiously

ambivalence

ambivalent

More meanings of ambition

All

vaulting ambition phrase

vaulting ambition

See all meanings

Idioms and phrases

vaulting ambition phrase

Word of the Day

lifestyle

UK

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

US

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/ˈlaɪf.staɪl/

someone's way of living; the things that a person or particular group of people usually do

About this

Blog

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

Read More

New Words

stochastic parrot

March 04, 2024

More new words

has been added to list

To top

Contents

EnglishIntermediateBusinessExamplesCollocationsTranslations

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Learn

Learn

Learn

New Words

Help

In Print

Word of the Year 2021

Word of the Year 2022

Word of the Year 2023

Develop

Develop

Develop

Dictionary API

Double-Click Lookup

Search Widgets

License Data

About

About

About

Accessibility

Cambridge English

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Consent Management

Cookies and Privacy

Corpus

Terms of Use

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Dictionary

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Translations

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in /

Sign up

English (US)  

Change

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Follow us

Choose a dictionary

Recent and Recommended

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Grammar and thesaurus

Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

British and American pronunciations with audio

English Pronunciation

Translation

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Dictionary +Plus

Word Lists

Choose your language

English (US)  

English (UK)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Contents

English 

 Noun

Intermediate 

 Noun

Business 

 Noun

Examples

Collocations

Translations

Grammar

All translations

My word lists

Add ambition to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

More

Go to your word lists

Tell us about this example sentence:

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

Just a moment...

a moment...Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue

ambition noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

ambition noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Toggle navigation

Redeem

Upgrade

Help

Sign in

Dictionaries

Dictionaries home

English

American English

Academic

Collocations

German-English

Grammar

Grammar home

Practical English Usage

Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)

Word Lists

Word Lists home

My Word Lists

Topics

Recent additions

Resources

Resources home

Text Checker

Sign in

Dictionaries

Dictionaries home

English

American English

Academic

Collocations

German-English

Grammar

Grammar home

Practical English Usage

Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)

Word Lists

Word Lists home

My Word Lists

Topics

Recent additions

Resources

Resources home

Text Checker

Redeem

Upgrade

Help

TOP

English

English

American English

Academic English

Collocations

Practical English Usage

German-English

English-German

English

American English

Enter search text

Definition of ambition noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

ambition noun   /æmˈbɪʃn/  /æmˈbɪʃn/

jump to other results

  [countable] something that you want to do or achieve very muchShe had fulfilled her lifelong ambition.His burning ambition was to study medicine.political/artistic/career ambitionsAt last he had realized his life's ambition.He had only one ambition in life.the country's nuclear ambitions (= plans to develop nuclear weapons) ambition of being/doing something She never achieved her ambition of becoming a famous writer.Extra ExamplesThis is a tale of jealousy and thwarted ambitions.He felt great resentment at having his ambition frustrated.the company's global ambitionsHer biggest ambition was to climb Everest.Topics Successb1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjectivebigburningdriving…verb + ambitioncherishharbour/​harborhave…See full entry

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

  [uncountable] the desire or strength of mind to be successful, rich, powerful, etc.She was driven by personal ambition.She was intelligent but suffered from a lack of ambition.Extra ExamplesHis friends would never describe him as a man of great ambition.He was a young man with the ambition to succeed in his chosen career.She's a woman of driving ambition.He has no ambition.Topics Successb1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjectivedrivinggreatnaked…verb + ambitionhavelackambition + verbburnSee full entry Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin ambitio(n-), from ambire ‘go around (canvassing for votes)’.See ambition in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee ambition in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation:

ambition

Other results

All matches

Ambition

Nearby words

ambiguously adverb

ambit noun

ambition noun

Ambition

ambitious adjective

error

noun

 

 

From the Word list

OPAL spoken words

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries

Browse Dictionaries & Grammar

Search Box

System Requirements

Contact Us

More from us

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries API

English Language Teaching

Oxford Teacher's Club

Oxford Learner's Bookshelf

Oxford Languages

Who we are

About Us

Our history

Annual report

The way we work

Working for OUP

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

Consent Management

Terms & Conditions

Accessibility

Legal Notice

English (UK)

English (US)

© 2024 Oxford University Press