- [countable] something that you want to do or achieve very much
- She had fulfilled her lifelong ambition.
- His burning ambition was to study medicine.
- political/artistic/career ambitions
- At last he had realized his life's ambition.
- He had only one ambition in life.
- the country's nuclear ambitions (= plans to develop nuclear weapons)
- ambition of being/doing something She never achieved her ambition of becoming a famous writer.
Extra ExamplesTopics Successb1- This is a tale of jealousy and thwarted ambitions.
- He felt great resentment at having his ambition frustrated.
- the company's global ambitions
- Her biggest ambition was to climb Everest.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- burning
- driving
- …
- cherish
- harbour/harbor
- have
- …
- [uncountable] the desire or strength of mind to be successful, rich, powerful, etc.
- She was driven by personal ambition.
- She was intelligent but suffered from a lack of ambition.
Extra ExamplesTopics Successb1- His friends would never describe him as a man of great ambition.
- He was a young man with the ambition to succeed in his chosen career.
- She's a woman of driving ambition.
- He has no ambition.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- driving
- great
- naked
- …
- have
- lack
- burn
Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin ambitio(n-), from ambire ‘go around (canvassing for votes)’.
Check pronunciation:
ambition