primary ambition

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primary ambition" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the main goal or aspiration of an individual or organization. Example: "Her primary ambition is to become a leading expert in environmental science and contribute to sustainable development."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Whatever its primary ambition, Live Mansion represents the marketing world's growing fascination with audience empowerment.

The New York Times

My primary ambition at the time was to avoid taking French.

The Guardian - Books

"I want to get rid of the combustion engine," John McKibben, an activist from Vermont, declared as his primary ambition.

The New York Times

In any given year at the fringe, there'll be young male standups whose primary ambition, visually, is look a bit puppyish and keep Russell Howard's fans onside.

The Guardian

The program of the Quiet Revolution, certainly not as straightforward at the time as it appears to us today, had as its primary ambition the decolonization of Quebec on three fronts.

The New York Times - Arts

He had already turned down his alma mater, Michigan State, and, according to Leland, "would have been out of here a long time ago" if money were his primary ambition.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Its primary ambitions are to provide international data-transmission services for businesses and to take stakes in national carriers around Asia.

The Economist

Many American analysts note that China's manned space program falls under a wing of the People's Liberation Army, and suspect that China's primary ambitions in space are military.

The New York Times

That primary mission, though, stood in service of his principal ambition: peace, which will involve difficult territorial concessions and require a public consensus.

The New York Times

The government's primary housing ambition is home ownership and getting people on the ladder.

The Guardian

Much of this has been the result of ODG's primary business ambition during this time: outfitting the chronically unsexy enterprise space.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing someone's main life goal, use "primary ambition" to clearly convey their foremost desire. For example, instead of saying "His ambition was to become a doctor", you could say "His "primary ambition" was to become a doctor" to emphasize the importance of this specific aspiration.

Common error

Avoid using "primary ambition" to describe fleeting interests or minor goals. Reserve it for significant, long-term aspirations to accurately reflect the weight of the ambition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primary ambition" functions as a noun phrase, where "primary" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "ambition". It defines a specific type of ambition, emphasizing its importance or precedence. Ludwig examples illustrate its role in describing a central goal or aim.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

25%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "primary ambition" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to denote the main or most important goal. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and provides diverse examples across news, science, and general contexts. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with significant, long-term aspirations and avoid redundancy by not pairing it with "main". Consider alternatives such as "chief aim" or "main objective" for variety. Its function is to highlight key objectives or aspirations, usually found in news, science, and wiki sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

chief aim

Replaces "ambition" with "aim", indicating a goal or purpose. "Chief" emphasizes importance, similar to "primary".

main objective

Uses "objective" instead of "ambition", referring to a specific goal one is trying to achieve; "main" highlights its priority.

principal goal

Substitutes "ambition" with "goal", denoting a desired outcome. "Principal" underscores the significance of the goal.

overriding objective

Implies a goal that takes precedence over all others. The term "overriding" introduces a sense of dominance.

foremost aspiration

Replaces "ambition" with "aspiration", suggesting a strong desire or hope. "Foremost" denotes the highest rank or position.

key aspiration

Using the term 'key' instead of 'primary', meaning crucial or essential, implying a significant level of importance.

central purpose

Uses "purpose" instead of "ambition", indicating the reason for which something exists or is done, and "central" signifies that it's the core element.

ultimate aim

Substitutes "primary" with "ultimate", emphasizing a final, long-term goal.

supreme objective

Highlights that the goal is of the highest importance with the use of word 'supreme'.

top priority

Shifts from ambition to priority, indicating something given immediate attention, and "top" emphasizes its importance.

FAQs

What does "primary ambition" mean?

The term "primary ambition" refers to the main or most important goal, aim, or aspiration that someone has. It signifies what someone is principally striving to achieve in their life or a specific context.

How to use "primary ambition" in a sentence?

You can use "primary ambition" to describe someone's main goal. For instance, "Her "primary ambition" is to become a leading expert in environmental science" or "His "primary ambition" was to win the championship".

What can I say instead of "primary ambition"?

You can use alternatives like "chief aim", "main objective", or "principal goal" depending on the context.

Is it redundant to say "main primary ambition"?

Yes, saying "main primary ambition" is typically redundant because "primary" already implies that it is the most important or main ambition. It's best to stick with just "primary ambition" or use alternative phrasings like "chief aim".