zealous

adjective

zeal·​ous ˈze-ləs 

: marked by fervent partisanship for a person, a cause, or an ideal : filled with or characterized by zeal

zealous missionaries

zealously adverb

zealousness noun

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Zealous vs. Jealous

Zealous and jealous share not just a rhyme, but an etymology. Both words ultimately come from the Latin zelus “jealousy,” and in the past their meanings were somewhat closer to each other than they are today. In the 16th and 17th centuries, zealous occasionally was used in biblical writing to refer to a quality of apprehensiveness or jealousy of another. By the 18th century, however, it had completely diverged in meaning from jealous, signifying “warmly engaged or ardent on behalf of someone or something.” Today, zealous often carries a connotation of excessive feeling: it typically means “fiercely partisan” or “uncompromisingly enthusiastic.”

Examples of zealous in a Sentence

I was zealous in my demands on my sisters for promptness in rehearsals. I was passionate, intolerant of small talk, hungry for knowledge, grabby, bossy, precocious. —Lynn Margulis, Curious Minds, (2004) 2005

Sir Thomas was zealous in the pursuit of recusants, not poachers, and was otherwise an amiable man. —S. Schoenbaum, Shakespeare's Lives, 1991

Zealous in his ministerial labours, blameless in his life and habits, he yet did not appear to enjoy that mental serenity, that inward content, which should be the reward of every sincere Christian and practical philanthropist. —Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847

He had no cause for self-reproach on the score of neglect, or want of thought, for he had been devoted to her service; and yet a hundred little occasions rose up before him, on which he fancied he might have been more zealous, and more earnest, and wished he had been. —Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, 1838

The detective was zealous in her pursuit of the kidnappers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ultimately, Husk’s manhunt leads to Bob Mathews, a zealous racist played by Nicholas Hoult, who fronts a terror group called The Order. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024

But a car bomb explosion (set by zealous Joker followers) brings total destruction, killing or severely injuring the assembled, such as District Attorney Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey). —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2024

But Miller pairs that zealous fury with an ability to plunge into the depths of the federal bureaucracy, pushing personnel and policy levers to try and actually make his agenda happen. —Andrew Prokop, Vox, 26 Sep. 2024

This is a zealous pursuit, without question—and one that can easily be derailed by the luxury of settling for anything less. —Edward Deangelis, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

zealous

adjective

zeal·​ous ˈzel-əs 

: filled with or showing zeal : marked by passionate support for a person, cause, or ideal

zealously adverb

zealousness noun