Definition of 'ambition'

Word Frequency

ambition

(æmbɪʃən )

Word forms: plural ambitions

1. countable noun [oft NOUN to-infinitive]

If you have an ambition to do or achieve something, you want very much to do it or achieve it.

His ambition is to sail round the world.

He harboured ambitions of becoming a Tory MP.

Synonyms: goal, end, hope, design More Synonyms of ambition

2. uncountable noun

Ambition is the desire to be successful, rich, or powerful.

Even when I was young I never had any ambition.

...a mixture of ambition and ruthlessness.

Synonyms: enterprise, longing, drive, fire More Synonyms of ambition

Video: pronunciation of 'ambition'

Word Frequency

ambition in British

(æmˈbɪʃən )

noun

strong desire for success, achievement, or distinction

something so desired; goal; aim

Word origin of 'ambition'

C14: from Old French, from Latin ambitiō a going round (of candidates), a striving to please, from ambīre to go round; see ambit

Word Frequency

ambition in American

(æmˈbɪʃən ; ambishˈən)

noun

a strong desire to gain a particular objective; specif., the drive to succeed, or to gain fame, power, wealth, etc.

the objective strongly desired

verb transitive

3. Rare

to be ambitious for

Word origin of 'ambition'

ME < OFr < L ambitio, a going around (to solicit votes) < pp. of ambire: see ambient

Example sentences containing 'ambition'

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You find a way to share responsibilities and free up time for a personal ambition. The Sun (2016)This is yet another example of political ambitions overcoming common sense. The Sun (2017)This could provide funds for each son and so fulfil one of his personal ambitions. Times, Sunday Times (2016)When he came out of the army he directed his ambition towards two goals : politics and making money. Times, Sunday Times (2017)A rare total eclipse of the moon will make your emotions a useful bit tougher and ambitions stronger. The Sun (2016)Either that or he should be left to fulfil his own ambition and run for president in 2020 in peace. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Saturn, planet of serious intentions, gives you the focus to learn an extra skill that will help you fulfil an ambition. The Sun (2016)Limits are always limits to some project or desire or ambition. Wood, David Philosophy at the Limit (1990)But you have to have ambitions and goals. Times, Sunday Times (2014)You are close to success with the ambition that means the most to you. The Sun (2013)You know which personal ambition you should focus on and which you should put on hold. The Sun (2014)It was thereby hoped to reduce the political ambitions of the armed forces. Paul Preston The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution and RevengeThis transformation is possible as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. Times, Sunday Times (2011)Will new ambitions change your world of love? The Sun (2009)Your intuition and ambition both get stronger. The Sun (2014)Yet already she has hinted that she might revive her presidential ambitions. Times, Sunday Times (2008)Will ambition and success change your love future? The Sun (2013)Yet colleagues were impressed by his grasp of detail and seeming lack of personal ambition. Times, Sunday Times (2009)Her success in finding a way out of the legal impasse will boost her wider political ambitions. Times, Sunday Times (2013)Most writers harbour a modest ambition for their work to live on after their deaths. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Inspiring more of you to come into the business world is an ambition of mine. Times, Sunday Times (2011)The sun climbs to the top of your chart and ambitions get stronger. The Sun (2016)He insisted that the surgery had not been prompted by presidential ambitions. Times, Sunday Times (2013)Pluto and the sun are working on your behalf so you are ready to fulfil your personal ambitions. The Sun (2010)You handle relationships well and can be a close couple but also encourage each other to fulfil personal ambitions. The Sun (2009)Do the very best drivers step over the line because they cannot see anything other than their own desires and ambitions? Times, Sunday Times (2009)By that time, the papacy had established its territorial ambitions. Christianity Today (2000)They had desire and ambition, like it was the last chance of their lives. The Sun (2013)You stand out from the crowd, think fast and fulfil an ambition. The Sun (2009)

Quotations

Ambition is the growth of every climeWilliam Blake King Edward the Third

Well is it known that ambition can creep as well as soarEdmund Burke Letters on a Regicide Peace

Ambition, in a private man a vice,
Is in a prince the virtuePhilip Massinger The Bashful Lover

Ambition must be made to counteract ambitionJames Madison The Federalist Papers

Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a Heaven for?Robert Browning Andrea del Sarto

The glorious fault of angels and godsAlexander Pope Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady

Every eel hopes to become a whale

Trends of 'ambition'

In Common Usage. ambition is one of the 10000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Translations for 'ambition'

British English: ambition /æmˈbɪʃən/ NOUN

If you have an ambition to achieve something, you want very much to achieve it.

His ambition is to sail round the world.

American English: ambition
Arabic: طُموح
Brazilian Portuguese: ambição
Chinese: 雄心
Croatian: ambicija
Czech: přání
Danish: ambition
Dutch: ambitie
European Spanish: ambición
Finnish: kunnianhimo
French: ambition
German: Ehrgeiz
Greek: φιλοδοξία
Italian: ambizione
Japanese: 野心
Korean: 야심
Norwegian: ærgjerrighet
Polish: ambicja
European Portuguese: ambição
Romanian: ambiție
Russian: цель
Spanish: ambición
Swedish: ambition
Thai: ความทะเยอทะยาน
Turkish: hırs
Ukrainian: мета
Vietnamese: tham vọng

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Nearby words of 'ambition'

Source

Definition of ambition from the Collins English Dictionary

Complements

Some verbs such as be, become, seem, do not have an object but a complement. The subject complement is a word or phrase that tells us more about the subject. Alan is a nice person. Rajiv is a psy...