ambitious

ambitious
I
(Roget's IV) modif.
1. [Characterized by ambition]
Syn. aspiring, enterprising, emulous, hopeful, zealous, high-reaching, climbing, eager, aggressive, earnest, determined, industrious, driven, goal-oriented, hungry, thirsty, itching, designing, scheming, pushing, emulous of fame, anxious for power, resourceful, opportunistic, energetic, enthusiastic, driving, striving, avid, sharp, intent, vaulting, up and coming, upwardly mobile, careerist, power-hungry, overambitious, predatory, hustling*, pushy*, high-flying*, on the fast track*, on the make*.
Ant. unambitious, lackadaisical, indolent.
2. [Challenging]
Syn. arduous, formidable, lofty, pretentious; see difficult 1 , grand 2 .
Syn.- ambitious implies a striving for advancement, wealth, fame, etc., and is used with both favorable and unfavorable connotations; aspiring suggests a striving to reach some lofty end regarded as somewhat beyond one's normal expectations [ an aspiring young poet ] ; enterprising implies an energetic readiness to take risks or undertake New projects in order to succeed; emulous suggests ambition characterized by a competitive deSire to equal or surpass another
II
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.
1. enterprising aspiring, determined, hard-driving, *go-getting, aggressive, hungry, motivated, hard-working, striving, eager, avid, zealous, emulous, goal-oriented, *high octane, industrious.
2. demanding formidable, difficult, lofty, taxing, prodigious.
ANT.: 1. lazy, slothful, inert. 2. undemanding, simple, humble
III
(Roget's Thesaurus II) adjective Full of ambition: aspiring, emulous. See DESIRE.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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  • ambitious — 1 Ambitious, emulous both mean extremely desirous of something that will give one power, fame, success, or riches. Ambitious often implies inordinate, sometimes presumptuous, eagerness to advance oneself or to attain something beyond one’s… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Ambitious — Am*bi tious, a. [L. ambitiosus: cf. F. ambitieux. See {Ambition}.] 1. Possessing, or controlled by, ambition; greatly or inordinately desirous of power, honor, office, superiority, or distinction. [1913 Webster] Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ambitious — UK US /æmˈbɪʃəs/ adjective ► having a strong wish to be successful: »an ambitious young lawyer »I make no secret of the fact that I am very ambitious. ► if a plan or idea is ambitious, it needs a lot of skill and effort to be successful or be… …   Financial and business terms

  • ambitious — [am bish′əs] adj. [ME ambicious < L ambitiosus, seeking favor < ambitio: see AMBITION] 1. full of or showing ambition 2. greatly desirous (of something); eager for 3. demanding great effort, skill, enterprise, etc. [an ambitious… …   English World dictionary

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  • ambitious — index eager, solicitous Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • ambitious — (adj.) late 14c., from L. ambitiosus going around to canvass for office, from ambitio (see AMBITION (Cf. ambition)). Related: Ambitiously …   Etymology dictionary

  • ambitious — ► ADJECTIVE 1) having or showing ambition. 2) intended to meet a high standard and therefore difficult to achieve. DERIVATIVES ambitiously adverb ambitiousness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • ambitious — ambitiously, adv. ambitiousness, n. /am bish euhs/, adj. 1. having ambition; eagerly desirous of achieving or obtaining success, power, wealth, a specific goal, etc.: ambitious students. 2. showing or caused by ambition: an ambitious attempt to… …   Universalium

  • ambitious — am•bi•tious [[t]æmˈbɪʃ əs[/t]] adj. 1) having ambition; eagerly desirous of achieving or obtaining success, power, wealth, etc.: an ambitious student[/ex] 2) showing or caused by ambition; requiring exceptional effort, ability, etc.: an ambitious …   From formal English to slang

  • ambitious — am|bi|tious [æmˈbıʃəs] adj 1.) determined to be successful, rich, powerful etc ▪ Alfred was intensely ambitious, obsessed with the idea of becoming rich. ambitious for ▪ mothers who are highly ambitious for their children (=who want their… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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