ambition
Americannoun
-
ambitions
plural
-
an 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.
- Synonyms:
- longing, yearning, aspiration
-
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.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
strong desire for success, achievement, or distinction
-
something so desired; goal; aim
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ambition
First 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- -ion
Explanation
Ambition is a strong desire to achieve. It's what Macbeth had too much of, and what slackers have too little of. If a person has ambition, the goal is usually wealth, power, or fame. This Middle English word is derived from Latin ambitiō, from ambīre "to go around or about." In ancient Rome, candidates for office would go around to gain votes, to further their goal of being powerful or famous.
Vocabulary lists containing ambition
Nothing But the Truth
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Stargirl
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"The Latehomecomer," Vocabulary from the memoir excerpt
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Rite-Aid, Walgreens and CVS all had harbored the ambition of becoming dominant players in the American healthcare system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
"Her appointment reflects our ambition to keep Balenciaga at the forefront of innovation, creativity and culture," Kering chief executive Luca de Meo said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
Still, you can’t fault the Modi government for lack of ambition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
The UK government's ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 could be undermined by its new deal on AI data centres, according to BBC research.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
In the midst of all his preoccupations, Harry had not forgotten his other ambition: finding out what Malfoy was up to in the Room of Requirement.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Tesla’s photos and promotional materials gave a hint of the Cybertruck roving around another planet, a clear nod to Musk’s own spacefaring ambitions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Merlo’s ambitions and braggadocio didn’t have much of a shelf life: On Wednesday, the company announced it was deconstructing the edifice he had erected, by splitting into two companies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
"I'm looking forward to contributing my experience and working together with everyone to help Ben achieve his ambitions."
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
The IPO comes as more major companies involved in the AI spending bonanza turn to the markets to finance their ambitions.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand convinced high-ranking Austrian officials that a war was necessary to curb Serbia’s ambitions.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
