1
as in aspiring
having a strong desire for personal advancement
an ambitious child actor and his even more ambitious mother, who will do anything to get him in commercials
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
cleaning up the vacant lot in one weekend was an ambitious undertaking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ambitious
Farrell plays John, the ambitious and chatty servant who is seduced by the mistress of the house (Jessica Chastain), as a nervous bundle of energy who becomes more agonized and frantic over the course of the film.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Her goal for October is to earn $5,000 — an ambitious target.
—Bonny Chu , Lorraine Taylor, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
In a very rare and likely precedent-setting agreement, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston has agreed to return two works from 1857 by the Black potter David Drake, who made his ambitious jars while enslaved, to his present-day descendants.
—Jori Finkel, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The Mont, 4729 Saint Amand Circle, is an ambitious new fine-dining restaurant for west Tarrant and Parker County but was not listed in the awards.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambitious
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Her goal for October is to earn $5,000 — an ambitious target.
—Bonny Chu , Lorraine Taylor, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
In a very rare and likely precedent-setting agreement, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston has agreed to return two works from 1857 by the Black potter David Drake, who made his ambitious jars while enslaved, to his present-day descendants.
—Jori Finkel, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The Mont, 4729 Saint Amand Circle, is an ambitious new fine-dining restaurant for west Tarrant and Parker County but was not listed in the awards.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambitious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambitious
Adjective
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As an aspiring engineer, Nathan's passion for math and science shines brightly.—
Katie Nixon,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Nov. 2025
-
There’s also Alani (True Whitaker), an unaffected nepo baby who just wants everyone to get along, and Charlie (Jordan Firstman), an aspiring designer who is carving his own path after deciding the traditional routes weren’t working for him.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of the aggressive tactics used by Border Patrol and ICE, including against US citizens.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Chiefs were again aggressive on fourth down — and successful at stopping them, too.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Her adventurous spirit never dimmed.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Miguel kick-started his career with his adventurous 2012 debut, Kaleidoscope Dream, an LP that mixed rock, soul, and psychedelia into a freewheeling sound he’s been nuancing ever since, often in music that’s taken on a moodier, more anxious tone.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Elizabeth’s determination not to settle the succession gave rise to fierce rivalry between the claimants to the English throne, among them Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI; James’s cousin Arbella Stuart; Lady Katherine Grey and her descendants; and Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Yet plans to expand America’s lab-monkey stockpile have been met with fierce opposition.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambitious. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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