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 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 At its best, the book shows how a New York newspaper’s particular brand of journalism—a mix of personal take, zealous muckraking, and hunger for the new—had repercussions in the culture at large. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024 Earlier on Sunday, the IOC determined that Chiles would be stripped of her bronze medal, a decision which resulted in zealous discourse on social media. Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 11 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for zealous 

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 14 Oct. 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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