In the sentence 'The proposal was ambitious and the team was confident it would succeed,' what does the word 'ambitious' most nearly mean?

• A. Lacking effort
• B. Temporary
• C. Uncertain
• D. Having strong goals or a strong desire to achieve something challenging.

Answer: (D)

Ambitious describes aiming high, having big goals, or a strong drive to achieve something challenging. In the sentence, calling the proposal ambitious signals that it is bold and seeks a significant accomplishment. The team’s confidence that it would succeed supports this sense, showing they’re pursuing something demanding rather than easy.

It doesn’t mean lacking effort, temporary, or uncertain. The context suggests bold, high-reaching plans rather than something short-lived, doubtful, or lazy. So the best meaning is having strong goals or a strong desire to achieve something challenging.