zealous

adjective

zeal·​ous ˈze-ləs How to pronounce zealous (audio)
: 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 At one point in Lang’s piece, the overhead circle cutout glows like a gentle sun or zealous moon — a gravitational force in a jazzy cosmos. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 Godfrey is a zealous supporter of Father Divine, a one-time minister from Baltimore —yes, Baltimore — whose Peace Mission movement attracted between 2 million and 10 million disciples. Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2024 That work is often left to zealous attorneys, nosy reporters or occasional oversight committees. Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024 Once it is made, though, bakers — both amateur and professional — tend to feed and care for their starter with zealous attention. Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2024 Coming from someone else, that may have sounded fatalistic or zealous, but because Keldy spoke the words the other women took them as a sign of spiritual vigilance. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024 Same is true of Ellen Foley’s new character of an idealistic, overly zealous lawyer. Gail Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2024 But China’s drive for influence and leadership in the global South, which has become more zealous and effective of late, has shaken India and spurred a change in rhetoric, diplomacy, and policy. Happymon Jacob, Foreign Affairs, 25 Dec. 2023 Four of the 19 original defendants have pleaded guilty, including some of Mr. Trump’s most zealous defenders. Danny Hakim, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zealous was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near zealous

Cite this Entry

“Zealous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zealous. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

zealous

adjective
zeal·​ous ˈzel-əs How to pronounce zealous (audio)
: filled with or showing zeal : marked by passionate support for a person, cause, or ideal
zealously adverb
zealousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on zealous

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