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Ambitious: meaning, definitions and examples

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ambitious

 

[ æmˈbɪʃəs ]

Adjective
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adjective

career development

Having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed in one's chosen career or goals.

Synonyms

determined, driven, goal-oriented

Examples of usage

  • She is a very ambitious young woman who is determined to climb the corporate ladder.
  • His ambitious nature led him to start his own business at a young age.
Context #2 | Adjective

goal setting

Having a strong desire to achieve something grand or impressive.

Synonyms

aspiring, enterprising, high-reaching

Examples of usage

  • The ambitious project aimed to completely revolutionize the industry.
  • She set ambitious goals for herself and worked tirelessly to achieve them.
Context #3 | Adjective

negative connotation

Showing a willingness to do anything to get what one wants, often at the expense of others or moral principles.

Synonyms

cutthroat, ruthless, unscrupulous

Examples of usage

  • His ambitious pursuit of power led to many unethical decisions.
  • She was willing to betray anyone to achieve her ambitious goals.

Translations

Translations of the word "ambitious" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ambicioso

🇮🇳 महत्वाकांक्षी

🇩🇪 ehrgeizig

🇮🇩 ambisius

🇺🇦 амбіційний

🇵🇱 ambitny

🇯🇵 野心的な

🇫🇷 ambitieux

🇪🇸 ambicioso

🇹🇷 hırslı

🇰🇷 야심 찬

🇸🇦 طموح

🇨🇿 ambiciózní

🇸🇰 ambiciózny

🇨🇳 有雄心的

🇸🇮 ambiciozen

🇮🇸 metnaðarfullur

🇰🇿 амбициялы

🇬🇪 ამბიციური

🇦🇿 iddialı

🇲🇽 ambicioso

Etymology

The word 'ambitious' originated from the Latin word 'ambitiosus', meaning 'eager for power, desirous of honor'. It has been used in English since the late 14th century to describe individuals with strong aspirations and goals. Over time, 'ambitious' has evolved to encompass both positive traits of determination and negative traits of ruthlessness in the pursuit of success.

See also: ambitions.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,065 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.