noun
ambition
am-BIH-shuhn/æmˈbɪʃn/
A strong desire directed toward achievement.
The runner's ambition shows as she gazes eagerly at the championship trophy.
Etymology
The original image was going around to solicit votes, which linked canvassing with a desire for honor or advancement. Ambition later broadened from an often-disapproved craving for status to a potentially positive drive to achieve.
In context
who had no interest in patrolling the class with the cane, while I was full of ambition to do so.
More examples
- He has plenty of ambition but needs a clearer plan.
- Their shared ambition is to make the school accessible.
- She puts her career ambitions aside while caring for her father.
Forms
ambition · ambitions
ambitious adjective — Strongly determined to achieve something significant.
Similar words
- aspiration
- Emphasizes a hoped-for achievement rather than a driving desire.
- goal
- Names a desired result without implying strong personal ambition.