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

Many experts say that far more ambitious objective is unlikely to be achieved without cutting major federal programs like Social Security and Medicare, which President Trump has vowed not to touch. —Alain Sherter, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2025

Growing the cinema industry in the kingdom, and creating bona fide festivals, performers and filmmakers, is all part of the ambitious Vision 2030, the kingdom’s blueprint for diversifying everything from its economy to its entertainment industry. —Randee Dawn, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025

In 1978, an ambitious and rebellious young woman, Marina Bulgari, decamped from her family business to branch out with her own jewelry brand. —Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Massive Entertainment's ambitious action-adventure game would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, which speaks well about the raw graphical power of Nintendo's new hybrid console. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2025

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