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In the 1st century A.D., a fanatical sect arose in Judaea to oppose the Roman domination of Palestine. Known as the Zealots, they fought their most famous battle at the great fortress of Masada, where 1,000 defenders took their own lives just as the Romans were about to storm the fort. Over the years, zealot came to mean anyone who is passionately devoted to a cause. The adjective zealous may describe someone who's merely dedicated and energetic ("a zealous investigator", "zealous about combating inflation", etc.). But zealot (like its synonym fanatic) and zealotry (like its synonym fanaticism) are used disapprovingly—even while Jews everywhere still honor the memory of those who died at Masada.
Examples of zealot in a Sentence
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Desert Modernism Architecture Tours Palm Springs proper is a fantastic destination for architecture zealots: Desert Modernism is the prevailing style, a minimalist pastiche of flat or butterfly roofs, open floor plans and a blissful blend of indoor and outdoor spaces.
—David Weiss, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
His inner conversation must be very loud and very extreme.
Dedra, on the other hand, is a zealot.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
But among this more tolerant company, Aurangzeb is considered something of a dark horse – a religious zealot and complex character.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zealot
Cite this Entry
“Zealot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zealot. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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zealot
noun
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