3 syllables: Am, bi, tious. Stress on bi.
am-BISH-uhs
/æˈmbɪʃəs/
Ambitious is pronounced am-BISH-uhs (/æˈmbɪʃəs/). It has three syllables (Am-bi-tious), with the stress on "bi". Ambitious is an adjective describing a strong desire to achieve success or excel, often involving goal-driven effort and ambition that surpasses the norm. It conveys drive, motivation, and a proactive, forward-looking mindset. In usage, it can refer to people, plans, or projects that aim high and take initiative to reach challenging objectives.
adjectiveAmbitious is an adjective describing a strong desire to achieve success or excel, often involving goal-driven effort and ambition that surpasses the norm. It conveys drive, motivation, and a proactive, forward-looking mindset. In usage, it can refer to people, plans, or projects that aim high and take initiative to reach challenging objectives.
"Her ambitious plan to launch a sustainable startup impressed the investors."
"The team is ambitious, setting rigorous milestones and pursuing innovative solutions."
"Despite obstacles, she remained ambitious, continuously seeking new opportunities for growth."
Pronunciation: am-BIH-shuhs. IPA: US /æmˈbɪʃəs/, UK /æmˈbɪʃəs/, AU /æmˈbɪʃəs/. The stress is on the second syllable. Start with the short /æ/ as in “cat,” then /m/ followed by a clear /ˈbɪ/ vowel cluster. The final /əs/ is a quick, unstressed schwa plus /s/. Tip: avoid turning the ɪ into a long i; keep it crisp and light. For audio reference, listen to native speakers on pronunciation platforms and mirror the rhythm: unstressed first syllable, strong secondary beat on -bi-, then a quick -ous.”,
Common errors include flattening the /ɪ/ to a lax /i/ and misplacing the stress as am-BI-shous. Another mistake is pronouncing the final /əs/ as a full /əs/ instead of a reduced schwa + s. Correction: emphasize /ˈbɪ/ while keeping the /æ/ in the first syllable short but not lax; end with a light /s/ after a quick /ə/ before /s/. Practice with minimal pairs to separate the vowels and the stress cue: am-BI-shous vs. am- bee- shous.
In US/UK/AU, the primary vowel in the stressed syllable is /ɪ/ in /ˈbɪ/. The rhoticity doesn’t affect the word much since there is no /r/ in American English stress pattern here. Australian English may feature a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ and a more clipped /ə/ in the final syllable, but the major difference is rhythm and vowel length tendencies, not a separate phoneme. All three share the /æ/ in the first syllable and a final /əs/ with a reduced schwa.” ,
The difficulty comes from the two-close vowel sequence within the stressed syllable and the rapid reduction of the final /əs/. The /ɪ/ in /ˈbɪ/ must be distinct from the preceding /æ/, which can blur in casual speech. Also, the cluster -b- followed by /ɪ/ requires precise timing so the /m/ doesn’t blend into /b/. Practicing with a slower pace helps you articulate each phoneme clearly before increasing speed.”},{
Ambitious is not silent-lettered in any syllable. The primary cue is the stress on the second syllable: am-BI-shous. The letters are pronounced; you should clearly articulate /æ/ in the first syllable, /m/ cluster, /bɪ/ in the stressed part, and the final /ʃəs/ with a quick, soft /ə/ before the final /s/. The challenge is balancing the short /ɪ/ with the quick /ʃ/ portion, not skipping letters.”],
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Ambitious derives from the Latin ambire, meaning “to go around, to go about, to strive for.” It ultimately traces through the Latin ambit- “a circle, circuit, route” and the suffix -ous, which forms adjectives meaning “full of” or “having the nature of.” In Medieval Latin, ambitius described attempted or ambitious acts, and by the 16th century English borrowed ambitious with the sense of “having a strong desire to achieve something.” The word passed into common use in early modern English, aligning with rising individualism and the valorization of personal drive during the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Its core semantic core centers on aiming for high goals with energetic pursuit, often implying effort, risk, and aspiration beyond ordinary scope. The term frequently collocates with success, goals, plans, and careers, reinforcing the association between intentional striving and achievement. Over time, ambitious has grown to describe people, plans, and projects—whether positive, neutral, or occasionally pejorative depending on context—always with an emphasis on proactive striving and high aims.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Ambitious" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Ambitious"
-ous sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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