ambition

[ am-bish-uhn ]

noun

1. 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

2. the object, state, or result desired or sought after:

   The crown was his ambition.

   Synonyms: aim, goal

3. desire for work or activity; energy:

   I awoke feeling tired and utterly lacking in ambition.

   Synonyms: force, drive

verb (used with object)

1. to seek after earnestly; aspire to.

ambition

/ æmˈbɪʃən /

noun

1. strong desire for success, achievement, or distinction
2. something so desired; goal; aim

Other Words From

• am·bition·less adjective
• am·bition·less·ly adverb
• pream·bition noun
• super·am·bition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambition¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambition¹

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

Example Sentences

Pelosi had resisted demands from moderates in her caucus to narrow her ambitions or put a new bill on the floor, insisting that Republicans should be the ones to offer new concessions.

From Washington Post

However, its near term target of peaking emissions before 2030 is unaltered and it is this near term ambition that counts….

From Fortune

This was the central ambition of a number of no-longer-existing startups over 10 years ago.

From Search Engine Land

The program, which is an expansion of one Walmart began testing last year for free grocery delivery, is another signal of the retailer’s growing e-commerce ambitions.

From Quartz

If ambition doesn’t inhabit you, you wonder what all the hubbub is about.

From Ozy

The other narrative is of mobility in the service of ambition.

From The Daily Beast

Their authors promise that your spirit will be improved, your ambition honed, and your finances maximized by their advice.

From The Daily Beast

And it led him in his teenage years to declare his ambition to become a cop.

From The Daily Beast

Reid planted a flag, ready to make his mark in the world of whisky, backed by ambition and a gorgeous piece of land.

From The Daily Beast

He made little secret of his ambition to become the next prime minister, much to the chagrin of Netanyahu.

From The Daily Beast

Greater mischiefs happen often from folly, meanness, and vanity than from the greater sins of avarice and ambition.

From Project Gutenberg

To talk German was beyond the sweep of my dizziest ambition, but an Italian runner or porter instantly presented himself.

From Project Gutenberg

He went on, ruminating on the vain shadow, into which his over-heated ambition to act and to be distinguished, had involved him.

From Project Gutenberg

So far Murat had always held subordinate commands; his great ambition was to become the commander-in-chief of an independent army.

From Project Gutenberg

Noble ambition—worthy of a less ignoble cause—a better fate!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• appetite
• aspiration
• desire
• energy
• enthusiasm
• hope
• initiative
• longing
• love
• lust
• passion
• pretension
• spirit
• vigor
• yearning
• zeal