English Dictionary
Definition of “ambition”
ambition (æmˈbɪʃən
)
Definitions
noun
- strong desire for success, achievement, or distinction
- something so desired; goal; aim
Word Origin
C14: from Old French, from Latin ambitiō a going round (of candidates), a striving to please, from ambīre to go round; see ambit
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
goal,
end,
hope,
design,
dream,
target,
aim,
wish,
purpose,
desire,
intention,
objective,
intent,
aspiration,
Holy Grail,
=
enterprise,
longing,
drive,
fire,
spirit,
desire,
passion,
enthusiasm,
warmth,
striving,
initiative,
aspiration,
yearning,
devotion,
zeal,
verve,
zest,
fervour,
eagerness,
gusto,
hankering,
get-up-and-go,
ardour,
keenness,
avidity,
fervency,
Quotations
"Ambition is the growth of every clime"
William Blake"Well is it known that ambition can creep as well as soar"
Edmund Burke"Ambition, in a private man a vice,Is in a prince the virtue"
Philip Massinger"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition"
James Madison"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,Or what's a Heaven for?"
Robert Browning"The glorious fault of angels and gods"
Alexander Pope"Every eel hopes to become a whale"
Translations
- British English:
ambition
If you have an ambition to achieve something, you want very much to achieve it.His ambition is to sail round the world.æmˈbɪʃən NOUN His ambition is to sail round the world.
- Spanish:
ambición
nf
- French:
ambition
nf
- German:
Ehrgeiz
nm
- Chinese: 雄心 n
- Arabic: طُموح n
- Portuguese: ambição nf
- Russian: честолюбие nnt
- Croatian: ambicija nf
- Czech: ctižádost nf
- Danish: ambition nutr
- Dutch: ambitie nf
- Finnish: kunnianhimo n
- Greek: φιλοδοξία nf
- Italian: ambizione nf
- Japanese: 野心 n
- Korean: 야심 n
- Norwegian: ærgjerrighet nm
- Polish: ambicja nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: ambição nf
- European Spanish:
ambición
nf
- Swedish: ambition nutr
- Thai: ความทะเยอทะยาน n
- Turkish: hırs n
- Vietnamese: tham vọng n
Usage examples
He was interesting material for somebody like Control, for despite being out in the cold his political ambition was undiminished.
Forbes, Bryan, A Song at Twilight (1989)Added to which Jo Hedley, the exhibition curator, has enormous enthusiasm for his work and admiration for his ambition.
Country Life (2005)Suddenly his ambition revealed itself in all its appalling naked glory.
Irish Times (2002)They also splashed out £19m for striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to emphasise their ambition in the manager's last season.
Glasgow Herald (2001)There is tremendous determination and they are born to climb high, because of their ambition and energy.
Lilian Verner-Bonds, THORSONS WAY OF - PALMISTRY (2002)
