ambitious

[ am-bish-uhs ]

See synonyms for: ambitious ambitiousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

having ambition; eagerly desirous of achieving or obtaining success, power, wealth, a specific goal, etc.: The school is known for its ambitious students.
showing or caused by ambition or an earnest desire for achievement or distinction: This season saw an ambitious attempt to break the record for number of wins in a single season.

strongly desirous; eager: It is common for children to be ambitious of love and approval.
requiring exceptional effort, ability, etc.: The candidate is proposing an ambitious program for eliminating all slums.

Origin of ambitious

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ambitiōsus, equivalent to ambiti(ō) ambition + -ōsus -ous

synonym study For ambitious

1. Ambitious, aspiring, enterprising describe a person who wishes to rise above their present position or condition. The ambitious person wishes to attain worldly success, and puts forth effort toward this end: ambitious for social position. The enterprising person, interested especially in wealth, is characterized by energy and daring in undertaking projects. The aspiring person wishes to rise (mentally or spiritually) to a higher level or plane, or to attain some end above ordinary expectations.

Opposites for ambitious

1	apathetic, lackadaisical

See antonyms for ambitious on Thesaurus.com

Other words from ambitious

am·bi·tious·ly, adverb
am·bi·tious·ness, noun
non·am·bi·tious, adjective
non·am·bi·tious·ly, adverb
non·am·bi·tious·ness, noun
o·ver·am·bi·tious, adjective
o·ver·am·bi·tious·ly, adverb
o·ver·am·bi·tious·ness, noun
un·am·bi·tious, adjective
un·am·bi·tious·ly, adverb
un·am·bi·tious·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ambitious in a sentence

But on top av my ambitiousness there was an empty place in my sowl, an' me own opinion av mesilf cud not fill ut.
Soldier Stories | Rudyard Kipling
Ambitiousness in those olden days showed itself in momentary outburst; the ambitiousness of to-day runs riot.
The Wisdom of Confucius | Epiphanius Wilson
Nevertheless the lad wondered at the size and ambitiousness of this undertaking and accomplishment in the wilderness.
The Secret Cache | E. C. [Ethel Claire] Brill
Well, I don't want to discourage your ambitiousness, but I guess you've struck Kilo about the worst time in the century.
Kilo | Ellis Parker Butler

British Dictionary definitions for ambitious

ambitious

/ (æmˈbɪʃəs) /

adjective

having a strong desire for success or achievement; wanting power, money, etc
necessitating extraordinary effort or ability: an ambitious project

(often foll by of) having a great desire (for something or to do something)

Derived forms of ambitious

ambitiously, adverb
ambitiousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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