desire to advance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "desire to advance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a wish or ambition to progress or improve in a particular area, such as a career or personal development. Example: "Her desire to advance in her career motivated her to pursue further education and training."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

He had no desire to advance any further.

The New Yorker

donors whose desire to advance specific causes influenced the organization's agenda.

The New York Times

Behaviors include leading-indicator measures such as perceived support, perceived barriers, and desire to advance.

Harvard Business Review

You came to Harvard Kennedy School with a desire to advance the greater good.

Harvard University

He said that identifying the other participants may assist the union in its stated desire to advance those goals.

The New York Times

The need for regional security and the desire to advance economic interests, especially trade and foreign investment, guided foreign policy.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

"It was a safe place to meet other people who were educated and desiring to advance their thoughts.

The New York Times

To prevent problems in advance, to speed up the development of new products and strengthen the constitution of production technology capabilities, it is desired to advance technology development with high versatility and high reproducibility.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

One of the tough decisions when a person desires to advance in their career is described by a phrase I coined, "getting on the right escalator," which simply means moving in the right direction in your career.

HuffPost

CHWs in South Africa reported that although being CHW was not held in high esteem, one motivator was the development of a professional identity, especially for those working as counsellors, and they desired to advance in that role (Schneider et al. 2008).

Health Policy and Planning

And yet, here he was again with a racing number on his back: intent on satisfying his renewed appetite for elite competition and his desire to further advance the cause against cancer, the disease that nearly killed him in his 20s and that drove him to start his own foundation and anticancer movement.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's career goals, use "desire to advance" to convey ambition and a proactive approach to professional development. For example, "Her strong desire to advance in the company motivated her to take on new challenges."

Common error

Avoid using "desire to advance" in contexts where simple willingness or preference is more appropriate. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound overly formal or pretentious. Consider simpler alternatives like "want to improve" or "wish to progress" in everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "desire to advance" functions as a noun phrase, expressing a wish or ambition to make progress. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

23%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "desire to advance" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression that conveys a strong wish or ambition to progress or improve. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is typically that of a noun phrase, used to express intentions and motivations across diverse contexts. While it appears most frequently in News & Media and Academic settings, its slightly formal tone makes it adaptable to professional communication. When aiming for impact, remember to use it precisely, considering synonyms like "aspiration to progress" for nuanced expression. Be mindful to not overuse the phrase, because it can make your writing sound overly formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ambition to move forward

Substitutes "desire" with "ambition" and uses "move forward" to suggest making progress.

motivation to progress

Replaces desire with motivation emphasizing the driving force to progress.

drive to excel

Replaces "desire" with "drive" emphasizing motivation and "advance" with "excel" highlighting the pursuit of high achievement.

aspiration to progress

Replaces "desire" with "aspiration" and "advance" with "progress", focusing on a strong ambition for forward movement.

eagerness to improve

Uses "eagerness" to show enthusiasm and "improve" to indicate a wish to enhance skills or status.

yearning to develop

Uses "yearning" to convey a strong longing and "develop" to indicate growth and improvement.

determination to prosper

Replaces desire with determination to suggest a firm decision and advance with prosper for overall success.

inclination to rise

Changes "desire" to "inclination" and "advance" to "rise", suggesting a natural tendency to move upwards.

aim to make strides

Uses "aim" to indicate an intention and "make strides" to express significant progress.

want to get ahead

A more informal phrasing that replaces "desire to advance" with a common idiom for wanting to succeed.

FAQs

What does "desire to advance" mean?

The phrase "desire to advance" indicates a strong wish or ambition to progress, improve, or move forward in a particular area, such as a career, education, or personal development.

How can I use "desire to advance" in a sentence?

You can use "desire to advance" to describe someone's aspirations. For example, "Driven by a strong desire to advance his career, he pursued further education".

What can I say instead of "desire to advance"?

You can use alternatives like "aspiration to progress", "ambition to move forward", or "drive to excel" depending on the context.

Is "desire to advance" formal or informal?

"Desire to advance" is generally considered a more formal phrase. In informal contexts, you might prefer simpler alternatives like "want to get ahead".