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 of ambitious

• aspiring

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

Yet, for some British people, this march toward godly reform was not fast or ambitious enough. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

The ink on MacLachlan’s University of Washington acting degree wasn’t even dry when, at 23, he was cast as Paul Atreides in David Lynch‘s ambitious Dune adaptation. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026

For a more ambitious outing, head to nearby Elk Knob State Park, about 25 miles from West Jefferson. — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026

Core to that narrative is Wever’s character, the highly ambitious (and fictional) producer Andie Bender, Hansen’s right-hand woman. — Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for ambitious

• adventitious
• cementitious
• expeditious
• inauspicious
• injudicious
• meretricious
• repetitious
• superstitious
• surreptitious
• unambitious
• unpropitious
• unsuspicious

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