Definitions for ambition
æmˈbɪʃ ənam·bi·tion

Princeton's WordNet(3.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. ambition, aspiration, dream(noun)

   a cherished desire

   "his ambition is to own his own business"

2. ambition, ambitiousness(verb)

   a strong drive for success

3. ambition(verb)

   have as one's ambition

Wiktionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. ambition(Noun)

   Eager or inordinate desire for some object that confers distinction, as preferment, honor, superiority, political power, or literary fame; desire to distinguish one's self from other people.

   Etymology: From ambicion, from ambition, from ambitio, from ambio. See ambient, issue.

2. ambition(Noun)

   An object of an ardent desire.

   My ambition is to own a helicopter.

   Etymology: From ambicion, from ambition, from ambitio, from ambio. See ambient, issue.

3. ambition(Noun)

   A desire, as in (sense 1), for another person to achieve these things.

   Etymology: From ambicion, from ambition, from ambitio, from ambio. See ambient, issue.

4. ambition(Noun)

   A personal quality similar to motivation, not necessarily tied to a single goal.

   Etymology: From ambicion, from ambition, from ambitio, from ambio. See ambient, issue.

5. ambition(Verb)

   To seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet.

   Pausanias, ambitioning the sovereignty of Greece, bargains with Xerxes for his daughter in marriage. uE000106558uE001 Trumbull.

   Etymology: From ambicion, from ambition, from ambitio, from ambio. See ambient, issue.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Ambition(noun)

   the act of going about to solicit or obtain an office, or any other object of desire; canvassing

   Etymology: [F. ambition, L. ambitio a going around, especially of candidates for office is Rome, to solicit votes (hence, desire for office or honor), fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient, Issue.]

2. Ambition(noun)

   an eager, and sometimes an inordinate, desire for preferment, honor, superiority, power, or the attainment of something

   Etymology: [F. ambition, L. ambitio a going around, especially of candidates for office is Rome, to solicit votes (hence, desire for office or honor), fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient, Issue.]

3. Ambition(verb)

   to seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet

   Etymology: [F. ambition, L. ambitio a going around, especially of candidates for office is Rome, to solicit votes (hence, desire for office or honor), fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient, Issue.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Ambition

   am-bish′un, n. the desire of power, honour, fame, excellence.—n. Ambi′tionist (Carlyle), an ambitious man.—adj. Ambi′tious, full of ambition (with of, formerly for): strongly desirous of anything—esp. power: aspiring: indicating ambition: showy or pretentious.—adv. Ambi′tiously.—n. Ambi′tiousness. [Fr.—L. ambition-em, the going about—that is, the canvassing for votes practised by candidates for office in Rome—ambi, about, and īre, itum, to go.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. ambition

   In a military sense, signifies a desire of greater posts or honors. Every person in the army or navy ought to have a spirit of emulation to arrive at the very summit of the profession by his personal merit.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. ambition

   Song lyrics by ambition -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by ambition on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'ambition' in Nouns Frequency: #1648

How to pronounce ambition?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say ambition in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of ambition in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of ambition in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of ambition in a Sentence

1. Walter Savage Landor:

   Ambition is but avarice on stilts and masked.

2. Edmund Burke:

   Ambition can creep as well as soar.

3. The Queen of Pop:

   The lifelong ambition I still want to fulfill is to go on a dream date with Drake – and only kiss him.

4. Carlos Ghosn:

   Our ambition is to win even if it will take time.

5. Richard Spencer:

   My inclination would be to start with a relatively realistic level of ambition ... I would rather set a low bar and achieve it.

Images & Illustrations of ambition

Popularity rank by frequency of use