ambit

noun am·bit \ ˈam-bət \

Updated on: 8 Mar 2018

Definition of ambit

1 : circuit, compass

2 : the bounds or limits of a place or district

3 : a sphere of action, expression, or influence : scope

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Examples of ambit in a Sentence

many feel that church leaders stray outside of their proper ambit when they make specific political endorsements

Recent Examples of ambit from the Web

Under its ambit, white-collar cases would vie for limited resources with investigations into everything from cigarette smuggling to prison breaks.

— suzi ring, Bloomberg.com, "Britain’s White-Collar Cops Are Getting Too Good at Their Job," 1 Mar. 2018
The delegation's most substantive event may come outside of the Olympic ambit on Saturday.

— CBS News, "Mike Pence doesn't stand for North Korea athletes during opening ceremonies," 9 Feb. 2018
But one thing is clear: Whatever form the independent investigation of Trump’s activities takes, its ambit has to go well beyond the Trump–Russia nexus.

— yascha mounk, Slate Magazine, "After Comey’s firing, it’s time for lawmakers to take a stand for the rule of law.," 15 May 2017
However, within the ambit of his vast, brutish carelessness are some people with sinister agendas and anti-constitutional impulses.

— george will, National Review, "The Chaos Grows," 14 Oct. 2017
But Craig and Mullins say Colorado’s regulation targets conduct, not speech, effectively putting it outside the ambit of the First Amendment.

— greg stohr, Bloomberg.com, "The Supreme Court Gets Its First Test of Gay Rights Since 2015," 21 Sep. 2017
Even in the familiar relationship of an old woman and her cat, Le Guin finds an ambit for challenging moral insight and matter for an inquisitiveness that probes the deep time of evolution.

— robert minto, New Republic, "What Happens When a Science Fiction Genius Starts Blogging?," 7 Sep. 2017
That is why the only way to limit the immense damage that Comey’s firing has already done to basic democratic norms is to appoint an independent committee or special prosecutor with robust powers and a wide ambit.

— yascha mounk, Slate Magazine, "After Comey’s firing, it’s time for lawmakers to take a stand for the rule of law.," 15 May 2017
Now over a short span of three years more farmers have been brought under its ambit.

— time staff, Time, "Read the Full Transcript of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day Speech," 15 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ambit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ambit

Middle English, from Latin ambitus, from ambire

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1597

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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AMBIT Defined for English Language Learners

ambit

noun

Definition of ambit for English Language Learners

: the range or limit that is covered by something (such as a law)

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