ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ambitious

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //æmˈbɪʃəs// UK //æmbˈɪʃəs// am·bi·tious General-service

adj. having a strong desire to be successful, powerful, or famous. It can also describe a plan that is very difficult and needs a lot of effort to complete.

adj. having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed. When applied to projects or plans, it characterizes those that are large in scale and require significant effort or resources to achieve.


SIMPLE

She is an ambitious student who wants to be a doctor.

CONTEXTUAL

The company launched an ambitious plan to open fifty new stores across the country by the end of the year.

COMPLEX

While his goals were undeniably ambitious, critics argued that the timeline for such a massive infrastructure overhaul was fundamentally unrealistic given the current budget constraints.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English ambitious, from Middle French ambitieus, from Latin ambitiosus, from ambitio; see ambition. Compare with French ambitieux.

Usage

Commonly used to describe both people and their objectives; can carry a slightly negative nuance if the ambition is seen as excessive or ruthless.

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