lack of ambitious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lack of ambitious" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "lack of ambition"? You can use "lack of ambition" to describe a situation where someone does not have the desire or drive to achieve goals or succeed. Example: "His lack of ambition is evident in his reluctance to pursue new opportunities at work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"Lack of ambitious enough action in reducing their overuse in farming risks undermining any progress that's made in human medicine.

The Guardian

It faulted what it said was a lack of "ambitious policies to restore strong and balanced growth across the euro area".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The lack of more ambitious provisions to strengthen governance leaves Mali in a vulnerable position.

The Guardian

The motion welcomed the "positive outcomes" of the summit, such as targets for improved sanitation, but also pinpointed "failures" including the lack of more ambitious targets.

The Guardian

On the one hand I don't get much out of graphic novels and haven't been particularly impressed with the stories behind the adaptations of his work I've seen (I appreciate he generally dissociates himself from adaptations, but still) - on the other hand I'm forever moaning about the lack of inventive, ambitious writing by British authors being published.

The Guardian - Books

The report highlights the frequent lack of fit between ambitious service goals of empowerment, involvement, independence and choice and a continuing reliance on the same old repertoire of services and the same old processes of assessment, allocation and service delivery.

The Guardian

Other key manifesto commitments also ran into trouble - plans to replace council tax with local income tax were dropped due to lack of support, while ambitious plans to cut class sizes in the early primary school years ran into problems.

BBC

But there is an ambitious lack of pages.

The Economist

The 120,000-square-foot project, however, has some observers worried about the lack of growth at another ambitious enterprise operated by the Mashantucket Pequots: the Mashantucket Museum and Research Center.

The New York Times

A lack of discussion on how ambitious scaling-up targets can be achieved, given the countries' present human resources constraints, is one of the reasons that has led to a rejection of proposals.

Human Resources for Health

As a result, his book lacks the energy and excitement of ambitious original research.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "lack of ambitious". Instead, use "lack of ambition" or other similar phrases like "absence of ambition" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Common error

Be careful not to use adjectives where nouns are required. "Ambitious" is an adjective; the correct noun form is "ambition". Double-check your word choices to ensure grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

Incorrect usage. "Lack" typically requires a noun phrase following it. The adjective "ambitious" should be replaced with the noun form "ambition". Ludwig AI highlights that "lack of ambitious" is not correct in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lack of ambitious" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "lack of ambition". As Ludwig AI points out, "ambitious" is an adjective, while "ambition" is the noun form needed after "lack of". While there are a few instances of the incorrect phrase in sources like The Guardian and The New York Times, it's essential to use the correct grammatical structure to maintain clarity and credibility in writing. Alternatives such as "absence of ambition" or "deficiency in ambition" can also be used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

absence of ambition

Replaces "lack" with "absence", emphasizing the non-existence of ambition.

want of ambition

Uses "want" instead of "lack", providing a slightly more formal tone.

deficiency in ambition

Substitutes "lack" with "deficiency", highlighting a shortage or inadequacy.

limited aspiration

Focuses on the reduced level of aspiration rather than the absence of ambition.

unenterprising nature

Describes a general disposition lacking in initiative and ambition.

lack of drive

Replaces "ambitious" with "drive", focusing on the motivational aspect.

lack of initiative

Emphasizes the absence of proactive behavior and eagerness to start new things.

passivity

Describes a state of inaction and lack of assertiveness.

indifference

Highlights a lack of interest or concern, implying a lack of ambition.

complacency

Focuses on self-satisfaction and a lack of desire for improvement or progress.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say someone doesn't have aspirations?

The correct phrase is "lack of ambition". Using "lack of ambitious" is grammatically incorrect.

Is it better to say "absence of ambition" or "lack of ambition"?

Both "absence of ambition" and "lack of ambition" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice depends on your preferred style and context.

What are some synonyms for "lack of ambition"?

Synonyms for "lack of ambition" include "deficiency in ambition", "limited aspiration", and "unenterprising nature".

How can I rephrase a sentence that uses "lack of ambitious" to be grammatically correct?

Replace "lack of ambitious" with "lack of ambition". For example, instead of "The project failed due to a lack of ambitious planning", say "The project failed due to a lack of ambition in planning" or "The project failed due to an absence of ambition in planning".