Ambitious

Strongly motivated to reach a demanding and meaningful goal.

Reach for it when praising high aims backed by effort, not status-seeking alone

The ambitious apprentice mapped the skills she would need to lead a restoration.

• everyday

  determined

  resolve to continue despite difficulty is the quality you admire

  not when Determination can serve a modest goal; ambition specifically raises the aim.

• warm

  aspiring

  the person is still working toward a hoped-for future role

  not when Once established, someone can remain ambitious but is no longer aspiring to that role.

• warm

  bold

  the size or unconventional nature of the goal deserves attention

  not when A bold attempt can be impulsive and need not show sustained ambition.

• professional

  driven

  strong internal motivation and sustained effort dominate the picture

  not when Driven can suggest unhealthy pressure when the goal itself deserves attention.

• professional

  goal-oriented

  organized focus on defined outcomes suits a resume

  not when The phrase sounds mechanical in a warm card about someone's dreams.

• professional

  motivated

  energy and willingness to work are known, but the scale of the aim is not

  not when Motivation alone does not justify calling a plan ambitious.

• formal

  enterprising

  initiative and readiness to create opportunities are visible

  not when It leans toward business ingenuity rather than any demanding personal goal.

• formal

  industrious

  steady hard work is the strongest evidence

  not when Hard work may support assigned duties without reflecting personal ambition.

• unambitious
• apathetic
• aimless

• ambitious goal

  An ambitious goal gave the research team a clear reason to collaborate.

• highly ambitious

  Her plan is highly ambitious but divided into testable stages.

• ambitious student

  The ambitious student sought difficult feedback rather than easy praise.