both ambitious and small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "both ambitious and small" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has high aspirations or goals while also being limited in size or scope. Example: "The startup was both ambitious and small, aiming to revolutionize the industry despite its limited resources."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

With that, Mr. Green lays out plans both ambitious and small, similar to his competitors and different from them, old and somewhat new, on his CD-ROM.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Two decades earlier, Norman Mailer had ascribed to Miller similarly opportunistic motives, seeing him as an "ambitious, limited and small-minded" man who had poached on his wife's prestige at a time when his creative powers were waning.

The New York Times - Magazine

Ambitious shows, odd shows, and small shows were rarely nominated.

The New Yorker

"We had a difficult launch because of over-ambitious use of technology and small audiences.

The Guardian

Proposals range from the grandiose and ambitious to the small and intimate.

The New York Times

Ferrara is confident and ambitious, a small man in his forties with brown, curly hair, a short-cropped beard, and a deep, gravelly voice.

The New Yorker

I learned about Brooklyn gin when a bartender at Compose, an ambitious new cocktails and small-plates place in TriBeCa, used it in a drink he made me.

The New York Times - Food

But the kitchen is caught in a different sort of warp, between big and small, between ambitious and wedding-supper ordinary.

The New York Times

"Buildings are everywhere," writes Alexandra Lange, "large and small, ugly and beautiful, ambitious and dumb.

The New York Times

The humble surroundings and small staff belie an ambitious, well-funded operation.

Vice

Yet the financial interests of the superstars and the ambitious small performer are not necessarily aligned.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "both ambitious and small" to create a contrast that highlights ingenuity and resourcefulness, for example, when describing a project with significant goals but limited resources.

Common error

Avoid using "both ambitious and small" in contexts where either the ambition or the scale is insignificant. The phrase works best when both aspects are notable and create an interesting tension.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "both ambitious and small" functions as a descriptive modifier, adding nuance to a subject by highlighting contrasting qualities. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable, effectively portraying a duality of aspiration and limitation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "both ambitious and small" is a grammatically sound way to describe something that combines high aspirations with limited scope, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. While not a particularly common phrase, its use is appropriate in various contexts, mainly in News & Media, where a sense of resourceful ingenuity is intended. When using the phrase, ensure there's a genuine contrast between the ambition and the limitations to maximize its impact. For alternatives, consider "both visionary and limited" or "both expansive and compact" to provide nuanced shades of meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

both visionary and limited

Uses "visionary" to describe the ambitious aspect and "limited" to specify the restrictions.

both grand and petite

Replaces "ambitious" with "grand" to denote scale of vision and "small" with "petite" to emphasize the size.

both aspiring and miniature

Replaces "ambitious" with "aspiring" to denote the goal and "small" with "miniature" to emphasize diminutive size.

both expansive and compact

Uses "expansive" to highlight the reach of the idea and "compact" for the limited scale.

both high-reaching and minute

Highlights the goal with "high-reaching" contrasted against the tiny scale of "minute".

both far-reaching and contained

Emphasizes the extent of the ambition with "far-reaching" and contrasts it with "contained" to denote limited scope.

both extensive and constrained

Highlights the breadth of the vision with "extensive", balanced against the limitations suggested by "constrained".

both idealistic and modest

Shifts focus to the nature of the ambition with "idealistic" and tempers it with "modest" to reflect scale.

both bold and understated

Focuses on the contrast between the forwardness of "bold" ambition and the quiet nature of something "understated".

both inventive and pocket-sized

Highlights the creative ambition with "inventive" and constrains with the size of "pocket-sized".

FAQs

How can I effectively use "both ambitious and small" in a sentence?

Use "both ambitious and small" to describe a project, plan, or organization that has significant goals but operates on a limited scale. For example, "The startup was "both ambitious and small", aiming to revolutionize the industry despite its limited resources."

What are some alternative ways to express the idea of "both ambitious and small"?

You can use alternatives like "both visionary and limited", "both expansive and compact", or "both idealistic and modest" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

In what contexts is "both ambitious and small" most appropriately used?

This phrase is appropriate in contexts where there's a notable contrast between the scope of the ambition and the limitations in size or resources. It's often used in business, technology, and creative fields.

Is "both ambitious and small" a commonly used phrase in English?

While grammatically correct and understandable, "both ambitious and small" is not as common as other similar expressions. Consider using alternatives like "highly aspirational yet modest" or "grand in vision but limited in scope" for greater clarity and impact.