# ambition vs ambitious

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### ambition
*noun · IPA /æmˈbɪʃ.ən/ · frequency rank #8,116*
Eager or inordinate desire for some object that confers distinction, as preferment, honor, superiority, political power, or fame; desire to distinguish one's self from other people.

### ambitious
*adjective · IPA /æmˈbɪʃ.əs/ · frequency rank #7,644*
Having or showing ambition; wanting a lot of power, honor, respect, superiority, or other distinction.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ambition-vs-ambitious