Ambitions refers to strong desires or drive to achieve success or specific goals, often accompanied by plans or actions aimed at attaining those goals. It typically denotes a forward-looking, aspirational mindset and the pursuit of advancement in personal, professional, or social realms. The word can imply competitiveness or ambition as a motivating force in behavior.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
"Her ambitions in the field of medicine are evident from her research and volunteering."
"Despite setbacks, his ambitions never wavered, and he continued to pursue leadership roles."
"The company’s ambitions include expanding into new markets and doubling revenue within five years."
"She balanced her day job with her artistic ambitions, creating a portfolio on weekends."
Ambition comes from the Latin ambitio(n-), from ambīre ‘to go around’ or ‘to solicit votes,’ from amb- ‘around’ + bibere ‘to drink’ metaphorically suggesting a going around to win favor. In late Latin, ambitio referred to a solicitation for votes or influence, i.e., political ambition. The Old French word ambicion then entered English as ambition by the 14th century, retaining meaning of a strong desire for advancement or achievement. Early senses revolved around grand desires tied to power and status, then generalizing to any strong drive toward success. By the 16th–17th centuries, ambition encompassed personal, professional, and moral aims, evolving with social and economic changes in labor markets. The plural ambitions appeared as the plural form of ambition, though the word often refers to a collective set of goals or an individual’s overall drive. Modern usage emphasizes personal ambition in professional, academic, and entrepreneurial contexts, including positive anticipation of future success and sometimes critique of overzealous pursuit. The word has retained its core sense of forward-looking motivation while broadening to describe various kinds of aims, from career targets to personal growth journeys.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "ambitions" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "ambitions" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "ambitions" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "ambitions"
-ons sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce it as am- BISH-ənz, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: æmˈbɪʃənz; UK: æmˈbɪʃənz; AU: æmˈbɪʃənz. Start with /æ/ as in cat, then /m/; the stressed /ˈbɪ/ has a short, clipped vowel; end with /ənz/, tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /n/ and a light /z/.
Common errors: misplacing stress (e.g., əmˈbiːʃənz), mispronouncing the middle vowel as /iː/ or as /ɪ/ in a collapsed syllable, and pronouncing /t/ as a hard /t/ instead of a light alveolar tap. Correct by practicing æm- with a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, ensuring the /ʃ/ is the voiceless postalveolar fricative, and keeping the final /nz/ voiced lightly. Use minimal pairs to tune the /ʃ/ and /n/ + /z/ blend.
In US and UK, the primary stress remains on the second syllable: æmˈbɪʃənz. The /ɪ/ in the stressed syllable is a short lax vowel; rhoticity is not crucial here, but US speakers may slightly color the vowel with a closer quality depending on regional accent. Australian tends to be similar, with vowel quality possibly a more centralized /ɪ/ and a slightly more clipped pronunciation of the final -nz. Overall, the core rhotic and consonant sequence stays consistent.
The difficulty lies in the cluster /bɪʃ/ combined with the unstressed ending /ənz/. The /ʃ/ sound is subtle, and the transition from /b/ to /ʃ/ requires a brief palatal articulation. The unstressed second syllable should be crisp, not reduced to a schwa; and the final /nz/ should be a single voiced alveolar nasal + sibilant blend. Practice by isolating the middle /bɪʃ/ and then linking to /ənz/.
The word’s plural form means you maintain firm secondary stress on the root syllable; the suffix -tions often neutralizes to /ʃənz/ in fluent speech. The tricky part is ensuring the /ʃ/ is clear and not devoiced, while the final /z/ remains voiceless or lightly voiced depending on phonetic context. Keep the mouth ready for a palatal sound after /m/ and before /ənz/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "ambitions"!
No related words found
