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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ambition different from other nouns like it?

The words aspiration and pretension are common synonyms of ambition. While all three words mean "strong desire for advancement," ambition applies to the desire for personal advancement or preferment and may suggest equally a praiseworthy or an inordinate desire.

driven by ambition

When would aspiration be a good substitute for ambition?

Although the words aspiration and ambition have much in common, aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

an aspiration to become president someday

In what contexts can pretension take the place of ambition?

In some situations, the words pretension and ambition are roughly equivalent. However, pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

has literary pretensions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ambition Latitude plans its first commercial launch with its small-lift Zephyr rocket as early as 2026, with the ambition of reaching a rate of 50 launches per year from 2030. ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025 Described as an emotional thriller, the film casts James as Jean, a renowned performance artist at the height of her career who has always chosen ambition over family. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025 The North Node is currently sitting in Pisces—your 10th house of career and authority—encouraging you to embrace your ambitions and learn how to be your own provider. Roya Backlund, StyleCaster, 16 May 2025 Charlotte’s transit plan and candidates’ political ambitions took the spotlight Thursday as applicants for the Charlotte City Council’s empty seat tried to win over current council members. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ambition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambition
Noun
  • Harris, an Augusta National member, has never been shy about his aspirations.
    Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 13 May 2025
  • However, the Washington Nationals‘ selection of him with the No. 27 pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft was the pinnacle of his baseball aspirations.
    Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • Beyond traditional distribution, Maboroshi will continue spearheading the Chinese Cinema Today initiative, an ongoing cultural program showcasing emerging voices from China’s new generation to Japanese audiences across major cities including Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2025
  • Since the senior leadership team is ideally the executive sponsor for AI initiatives, this continuous learning process will help with better assessment and speed up decision making to scale use cases.
    Balmukund Shukla, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Amid uncertainty over Trump’s sweeping tariffs, inflation eased to a four-year low in April, but is still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • The goal for the team is to build robotic systems that adjust to the environment using just physics, which would require less computing power (or no computing power at all) to work.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife did not indicate in its news release what may have caused the animal’s death but said a final determination will be made after a necropsy.
    Max Levy, Denver Post, 16 May 2025
  • This portrait of a chef who moved from Japan in the 1970s delivers a generous helping of warm and fuzzy feels, as its subject faces challenges with determination and celebrates the daily joy of creating beautiful bites.
    Leslie Kelly, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • McQuarrie is so good at parsing out action sequences, dramatic scenes and character moments, and one key scene – where Ethan is quietly investigating a wrecked sub and being tossed and turned like a washing machine – is even oddly calming.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • The city’s appeal of the arbitrator’s ruling has been the subject of court action since then and is one of the cases that would have been settled by approval of the $915,000 settlement.
    Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • His purpose was to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the genocide and advocate for the release of 23 hostages detained in Azerbaijan.
    Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • The screen served different purposes at different junctures.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Now, a new book, Murder in the Dollhouse by Rich Cohen, peels back the sparkling facade of the Dulos's life to unearth the origins and motivations of a crime that became a national obsession.
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 May 2025
  • Unfortunately, these ideas are just kind of slapped on the surface of Hurry Up Tomorrow, which fails to penetrate deeper into the lives and motivations of its characters.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • One of drive, skill, and physicality, and the two midfielders both possess the engine to return to their defensive positions quickly when needed.
    James Nalton, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • Potentially more significant are subsidies paid to companies that manufacture batteries in the United States, part of a drive by the Biden administration to establish a domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on China.
    Jack Ewing, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Ambition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambition. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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