zeal

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun zeal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of zeal are ardor, enthusiasm, fervor, and passion. While all these words mean "intense emotion compelling action," zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

preaches with fanatical zeal

When is ardor a more appropriate choice than zeal?

While in some cases nearly identical to zeal, ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

Where would enthusiasm be a reasonable alternative to zeal?

The words enthusiasm and zeal can be used in similar contexts, but enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

never showed much enthusiasm for sports

When could fervor be used to replace zeal?

While the synonyms fervor and zeal are close in meaning, fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

read the poem aloud with great fervor

When can passion be used instead of zeal?

The synonyms passion and zeal are sometimes interchangeable, but passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

was a slave to his passions

Examples of zeal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Follow Election 2024 Her aides and allies note that Harris, like former president Barack Obama, is a lawyer with a social justice bent who challenges staff to prove their assumptions and defends law and order with a prosecutor’s zeal. Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 30 July 2024 Across Malaysia, Palestinian flags flutter outside homes and restaurants, while the public have boycotted American brands such as Pizza Hut, KFC, and Starbucks with sufficient zeal to force some outlets to close. Charlie Campbell / Kulim, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024 Despite their policy differences, Sanders supported her campaign and shown more zeal for her goals of building more affordable housing and strengthening union protections. Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2024 Apparently Zuckerberg’s zeal to appease Jim Jordan and flatter Donald Trump is stronger than any need to speak out about Trump’s even more massive plan to round up and deport millions of immigrants. Steven Levy, WIRED, 30 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for zeal 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zeal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near zeal

Cite this Entry

“Zeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zeal. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on zeal

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