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

Given that circumstance, Katz said, an ambitious institution such as Williams College, located in a tiny town in Massachusetts three hours from Boston and New York City, has no choice but to hire partners to compete for the best faculty. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024

Concord was PlayStation's ambitious triple-A hero shooter that never lived long enough to amass a large player base. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024

Thomas Samson/Kiran Ridley/AFP/Getty Images Macron had pledged to rebuild, asking that it be done in five years – an ambitious deadline that some experts panned as unrealistic. —Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024

Loading your audio article New York City’s public school system is loosening the requirements of its ambitious literacy push, providing schools with more discretion to tweak curriculum and move at the pace of their students. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 6 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