Thesaurus

ambition

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of ambition

1 eager desire for personal advancement

"Talent without ambition will not make you a star," the singer's voice coach liked to remind her.

Synonyms of ambition

ambitiousness, aspiration, go-getting

Words Related to ambition

determination, diligence, drive, energy, enterprise, go, hustle, industry, initiative, motivation, push

aggression, competitiveness, killer instinct

opportunism, overambitiousness, pretentiousness, pushiness

assertiveness, daring, spirit

ardor, avidity, eagerness, keenness, passion

avarice, greed, hunger

Near Antonyms of ambition

apathy, halfheartedness, indifference, unconcern

idleness, indolence, inertia, laziness, lethargy, shiftlessness, sloth

2 readiness to engage in daring or difficult activity

the ambition shown by the undersea explorers of the Mariana Trench, the deepest in the world

Synonyms of ambition

action, aggressiveness, drive, enterprise, go, hustle, initiative

Words Related to ambition

grit, gumption, pluck, snap, spirit, spunk, starch

ambitiousness, killer instinct, overambitiousness

assertiveness, self-reliance

energy, hardihood, pep, vigor, vitality

Near Antonyms of ambition

inactivity, inertia, passivity

diffidence, faintheartedness, timidity

hesitation, reluctance

indolence, laziness, lethargy

3 something that one hopes or intends to accomplish

His ambition is to study international business, then get a job overseas.

Synonyms of ambition

aim, aspiration, design, dream, end, goal, idea, ideal, intent, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, target, thing

Words Related to ambition

grail, holy grail

plot, project, scheme

desire, hope, mind, wish

destination, terminus

Phrases Synonymous with ambition

name of the game

Near Antonyms of ambition

means, method, way

Synonym Discussion of ambition

ambition, aspiration, pretension 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

aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself.

- an aspiration to become president someday

pretension suggests ardent desire for recognition of accomplishment often without actual possession of the necessary ability and therefore may imply presumption.

- has literary pretensions

Learn More about ambition

See words that rhyme with ambition Dictionary: Definition of ambition Spanish Central: Translation of ambition Nglish: Translation of ambition for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ambition for Arabic speakers

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