ambitious
am-BIHSH-uhs
Ambitious (adj) means having a strong desire for success, power, or achievement. Example: “As an ambitious young chef, he worked nights to learn new skills.”
adj
1
Having a strong desire for success, power, or achievement.
"As an ambitious young chef, he worked nights to learn new skills."
"Ambitious employees often volunteer for the hardest projects at work."
"She's an ambitious young lawyer determined to make partner within a decade."
2
Requiring great effort or resources to accomplish; large in scope.
"Building a bridge across the bay is an ambitious project."
"The team set an ambitious target of planting a million trees."
"The city launched an ambitious plan to rebuild the entire waterfront."
How to use ambitious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDriven to succeed, or (of a plan/project) bold and demanding.
Common pairings
ambitious plan
hugely ambitious
ambitious young professional
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Word forms
- Comparative
- ambitiouser, more ambitious
- Superlative
- ambitiousest, most ambitious
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As an _____ young chef, he worked nights to learn new skills.
Etymology
From Latin ambitiosus, from ambitio — see "ambition".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
nonambitious
unambitious
Related words
Rhymes for ambitious
See all rhymes for ambitious →Frequently asked questions
What does “ambitious” mean?
The word “ambitious” means having a strong desire for success, power, or achievement. In plain terms, driven to succeed, or (of a plan/project) bold and demanding.
How do you pronounce “ambitious”?
“Ambitious” is pronounced am-BIHSH-uhs (/æmˈbɪʃ.əs/ in IPA).
How do you use “ambitious” in a sentence?
Here is “ambitious” used in a sentence: “She's an ambitious young lawyer determined to make partner within a decade.”
What is the opposite of “ambitious”?
The opposite of “ambitious” — its antonyms — are nonambitious and unambitious.
What part of speech is “ambitious”?
“Ambitious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “ambitious” come from?
The word “ambitious” comes from Latin. From Latin ambitiosus, from ambitio — see "ambition".
Is “ambitious” a common word?
“Ambitious” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “ambitious” have?
“Ambitious” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a strong desire for success, power, or achievement.
What is the difference between ambitious and aspirational?
"Ambitious" describes a strong desire for success or a goal that is large and demanding, while "aspirational" describes hopes or ideals one aims towards, often without the same active drive. An ambitious person actively pursues success; an aspirational one holds it up as an ideal.
Can ambitious describe a plan as well as a person?
Yes. "Ambitious" has two senses: it can describe a person with a strong desire for success, or a plan or project that is large in scope and requires great effort. "An ambitious CEO" uses the first sense; "an ambitious project" uses the second.
Is calling someone ambitious a compliment or a criticism?
"Ambitious" is usually positive, praising drive and determination, but it can carry a mildly negative edge suggesting someone is overly eager for power or success. Tone and context decide, as in the approving "hard-working and ambitious" versus a wary "a little too ambitious."
What are common collocations with ambitious?
"Ambitious" often pairs with nouns like "plan," "project," "goal," and "target," as in "an ambitious target." When describing people it appears in phrases like "young and ambitious" and can be intensified with "highly" or "overly."
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