ambitious

adjective

am·​bi·​tious am-ˈbi-shəs 

1

a

: having or controlled by ambition : having a desire to be successful, powerful, or famous

an ambitious young executive

b

: having a desire to achieve a particular goal : aspiring

ambitious for power

2

: resulting from, characterized by, or showing ambition

an ambitious film

ambitiously adverb

ambitiousness noun

Synonyms

• aspiring
• go-getting
• hard-driving
• pushing
• self-seeking

Examples of ambitious in a Sentence

The company was created by two very ambitious young men in the early 1900s.

This 500-page book is her most ambitious effort yet.

Your plans for the future are very ambitious.

It was too ambitious a task for just one person.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Madame Tussauds wax museum in London pulls the curtain back on what reps describe as its most structurally ambitious figure to date – the Rocket Man suspended in the air over a baby grand piano. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 20 Dec. 2024

This pragmatic yet ambitious approach is already yielding remarkable results across multiple fronts. —Bernard Marr, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Other global automakers are scaling back their ambitious EV plans as demand cools. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 18 Dec. 2024

In 2016, the W.H.O. set an ambitious mission of globally eliminating hepatitis B, along with hepatitis C, by 2030. —Ingfei Chen, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ambicious "overweening, craving," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French ambicieus "striving for success, seeking glory," borrowed from Latin ambitiōsus "anxious to win favor, eager for advancement," from ambitiō "act of soliciting for votes, desire for advancement" + -ōsus -ous — more at ambition entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing ambitious

• ambitious for

Kids Definition

ambitious

adjective

am·​bi·​tious am-ˈbish-əs 

1

: controlled by or having ambition

ambitious to be captain of the team

2

: showing ambition

an ambitious plan

ambitiously adverb