ambit

noun

am·​bit ˈam-bət 

1

: circuit, compass

2

: the bounds or limits of a place or district

3

: a sphere of action, expression, or influence : scope

Synonyms

• amplitude
• breadth
• compass
• confines
• dimension(s)
• extent
• range
• reach
• realm
• scope
• sweep
• width

Examples of ambit in a Sentence

many feel that church leaders stray outside of their proper ambit when they make specific political endorsements

Recent Examples on the Web

The memorandum does not even specify which government programs will fall under its ambit. —Jill Goldenziel, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

But some critics have long been wary of medicalization as the best path toward an equitable psychedelic revival that ever escapes the medical ambit to make the most of their diverse potentials. —Oshan Jarow, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024

Whatever the reason—gold lust, bad luck, a malediction—the Prince de Conty continues to bring ill fortune upon those in its ambit, even two hundred and seventy-eight years after its demise. —Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024

The task force has a wide ambit, with the legislature empowering it to study every aspect of JCPS, from funding to transportation to athletic programs. —Rebecca Grapevine, The Courier-Journal, 14 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin ambitus "circuit, circumference, strip of ground around the outside of a building," from ambīre "to visit in rotation, surround, encircle" + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at ambient entry 1

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1