B1 · Intermediate

Ambitions & Success — B1 English Vocabulary

This B1 vocabulary list gathers 40 intermediate English words about ambitions & success — goals, drive and reaching for what you want. Every word comes with its British-English pronunciation and a natural example sentence, so you learn each one in real context. When you are ready, open the flashcards to practise and remember them for good.

  1. accomplish/əˈkʌm.plɪʃ/

    “If you work hard, you can accomplish all your goals this year.”

  2. achieve/əˈtʃiːv/

    “She worked hard to achieve her dream.”

  3. ambition/æmˈbɪʃ.ən/

    “His ambition is to become a doctor.”

  4. succeed/səkˈsiːd/

    “You will succeed if you never give up.”

  5. aim/eɪm/

    “Her main aim is to pass the exam.”

  6. achievement/əˈtʃiːv.mənt/

    “Winning the prize was a great achievement.”

  7. determined/dɪˈtɜː.mɪnd/

    “He is determined to finish the race.”

  8. motivation/ˌməʊ.tɪˈveɪ.ʃən/

    “Money is not her only motivation.”

  9. improvement/ɪmˈpruːv.mənt/

    “There is a big improvement in your work.”

  10. improve/ɪmˈpruːv/

    “I want to improve my English skills.”

  11. develop/dɪˈvel.əp/

    “She wants to develop her own business.”

  12. fulfil/fʊlˈfɪl/

    “He worked hard to fulfil his dream.”

  13. potential/pəˈten.ʃəl/

    “The young player has great potential.”

  14. challenge/ˈtʃæl.ɪndʒ/

    “Learning a language is a real challenge.”

  15. effort/ˈef.ət/

    “She put a lot of effort into the project.”

  16. dedication/ˌded.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

    “His dedication to the team is amazing.”

  17. persevere/ˌpɜː.sɪˈvɪə/

    “You must persevere even when it is hard.”

  18. overcome/ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/

    “She managed to overcome her fear.”

  19. excel/ɪkˈsel/

    “He continues to excel at sport.”

  20. aspire/əˈspaɪə/

    “Many students aspire to study abroad.”

  21. target/ˈtɑː.ɡɪt/

    “We reached our sales target this month.”

  22. milestone/ˈmaɪl.stəʊn/

    “Her first job was an important milestone.”

  23. reward/rɪˈwɔːd/

    “Hard work brings its own reward.”

  24. confidence/ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/

    “Practice gives you more confidence.”

  25. focus/ˈfəʊ.kəs/

    “Try to focus on your studies.”

  26. commitment/kəˈmɪt.mənt/

    “Marriage is a big commitment.”

  27. strive/straɪv/

    “We strive to be the best.”

  28. triumph/ˈtraɪ.ʌmf/

    “The team celebrated their triumph.”

  29. prosper/ˈprɒs.pə/

    “The small business began to prosper.”

  30. advance/ədˈvɑːns/

    “He hopes to advance in his career.”

  31. breakthrough/ˈbreɪk.θruː/

    “The scientists made a major breakthrough.”

  32. capable/ˈkeɪ.pə.bəl/

    “She is capable of great things.”

  33. successful/səkˈses.fəl/

    “He is a very successful businessman.”

  34. inspire/ɪnˈspaɪə/

    “Good teachers inspire their students.”

  35. opportunity/ˌɒp.əˈtjuː.nɪ.ti/

    “This job is a great opportunity.”

  36. encourage/ɪnˈkʌr.ɪdʒ/

    “My parents encourage me to study.”

  37. determine/dɪˈtɜː.mɪn/

    “Hard work will determine your success.”

  38. dream/driːm/

    “Her dream is to travel the world.”

  39. accomplishment/əˈkʌm.plɪʃ.mənt/

    “Finishing the marathon was a real accomplishment.”

  40. reach/riːtʃ/

    “He worked hard to reach the top.”