passionate

1 of 2

adjective

pas·​sion·​ate ˈpa-sh(ə-)nət 

1

a

: capable of, affected by, or expressing intense feeling

a passionate performance

a passionate coach

b

: enthusiastic, ardent

is passionate about basketball

2

: swayed by or affected with sexual desire and often romantic feeling

a passionate love affair

a long, passionate kiss

3

a

: easily aroused to anger

… a passionate but not a vicious boy …

—H. E. Scudder

b

: filled with anger : angry

She was passionate in her defense of her cub, and rage transformed her.

—G. D. Brown

passionateness noun

passionateness

2 of 2

noun

pas·​sion·​ate·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being passionate

Synonyms of passionate

Adjective

• intense
• emotional
• enthusiastic
• warm
• ardent
• glowing
• fervent
• demonstrative
• charged
• impassioned
• fiery
• fervid

Choose the Right Synonym for passionate

impassioned, passionate, ardent, fervent, fervid, perfervid mean showing intense feeling.

impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

Examples of passionate in a Sentence

Adjective

He gave a passionate speech on tax reform.

She has a passionate interest in animal rights.

She is passionate about art.

We were moved by his passionate plea for forgiveness.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

When it was all done, Messi and his jubilant teammates jumped up and down and sang their lungs out along with their passionate fans, who far outnumbered English fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Together with his wife and creative partner, Chelsea Rebecca, Janisse established Dead Meat, a horror channel that has become one of the genre’s most active online communities and a passionate digital brand. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Christopher Nolan’s passionate love affair with the Premium Large Format moviegoing experience peaks with The Odyssey, a gigantic undertaking that marks the first feature shot entirely with IMAX Film Cameras. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026

Kit is also a passionate science communicator, and like how The Lorax speaks for the Trees, the Bee Babette speaks for the Bees. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for passionate

• compassionate
• dispassionate

Kids Definition

passionate

adjective

pas·​sion·​ate ˈpash-(ə-)nət 

1

: excited or easily excited to strong feeling

2

: showing or expressing strong feeling

3

: strongly affected with sexual desire

passionately adverb