ambicionar

Senses

1. 1.

   to aspire to, to desire greatly

   to have a strong desire or ambition to achieve or obtain something

2. 2.

   to covet

   to desire something that belongs to another, often excessively

Examples

• "Ela sempre ambicionou ser uma grande escritora."

  She always aspired to be a great writer.

• "Muitos jovens ambicionam um cargo de liderança na empresa."

  Many young people desire a leadership position in the company.

• "Ele não ambiciona riqueza, apenas quer viver em paz."

  He doesn't covet wealth, he just wants to live in peace.

Usage

Formal register. Commonly used with abstract nouns like "sucesso" (success), "poder" (power), "cargo" (position), or infinitive verbs. More elevated than simply "querer" (to want), implying strong ambition or aspiration.