set ambitious goals

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "set ambitious goals" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to establish or determine challenging objectives for oneself or a group. Example: In order to achieve success, it is important to set ambitious goals and work towards them consistently.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

They set ambitious goals.

Harvard Business Review

Both campaigns have set ambitious goals for fund-raising.

The New York Times

He set ambitious goals for how fast he would put France back to work.

The Economist

"We set ambitious goals for the type of person who should fill this position," Knuth said.

Cornell University

New York State, along with California, has set ambitious goals for energy transformation.

Columbia University

You need to set ambitious goals, drawing out a previously unimaginable level of performance.

The Guardian - Business

At last year's Millennium Summit, Mr. Annan set ambitious goals for combatting poverty and disease.

The New York Times

Recognizing this, businesses have already started to set ambitious goals to reduce waste.

The Guardian

The EU has set ambitious goals for its electricity and gas supply sectors.

The Guardian - Opinion

But in its own universe of small private technical institutes, Stevens has set ambitious goals.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

It's not enough to set ambitious goals you've also got to keep yourself fixated and working toward those goals at all times.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you "set ambitious goals", ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to increase the likelihood of success.

Common error

Avoid "setting ambitious goals" that are unrealistic or lack a concrete action plan. Without a detailed strategy, ambitious goals can lead to discouragement and failure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "set ambitious goals" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of establishing challenging objectives. As indicated by Ludwig, it is used to describe the act of determining and aiming for high targets.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Academia

18%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Science

10%

Wiki

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "set ambitious goals" is a commonly used and grammatically sound expression, suitable for various contexts, as validated by Ludwig. It signifies establishing challenging objectives aimed at driving performance and achieving significant outcomes. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is widely accepted and used across diverse fields such as news, academia, business, and general discourse. When using "set ambitious goals", ensure that these goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to maximize the chances of success, and avoid creating plans without a solid strategy for doing so.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

set ambitious aims

Aims is used instead of goals. Both words are synonyms.

set great goals

Great is used instead of ambitious to describe the goals.

set bold goals

Bold is used instead of ambitious to highlight the courage implied.

set aggressive goals

Aggressive replaces ambitious, suggesting a forceful approach.

set audacious goals

Audacious is used instead of ambitious, suggesting a daring approach.

set high goals

High is used instead of ambitious, indicating elevated targets.

set aspirational goals

Aspirational is used instead of ambitious, focusing on the desire to achieve something great.

set lofty goals

Lofty is used instead of ambitious, emphasizing the elevated nature of the goals.

pursue challenging objectives

This alternative uses a different verb and noun while retaining a similar meaning.

define stretch objectives

Uses 'define' and 'stretch objectives' to suggest setting goals that require significant effort.

FAQs

How to use "set ambitious goals" in a sentence?

You can use "set ambitious goals" to describe establishing challenging objectives for oneself or a group. For example, "The company decided to "set ambitious goals" for revenue growth this year".

What can I say instead of "set ambitious goals"?

You can use alternatives like "set great goals", "set bold goals", or "pursue challenging objectives" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "set ambitious goals" or "set ambitious target"?

"Set ambitious goals" is generally used when referring to broader objectives, while "set ambitious target" is used for specific, measurable outcomes. Both can be correct depending on the context.

What's the difference between "set ambitious goals" and "achieve ambitious goals"?

"Set ambitious goals" refers to the act of establishing these objectives, while "achieve ambitious goals" refers to successfully reaching them. One is the beginning, and the other is the end result.