zeal

noun

: eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something : fervor
… they took office with an undisguised zeal to do everything differently …The Boston Globe
Choose the Right Synonym for zeal

passion, fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, zeal mean intense emotion compelling action.

passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

gave in to his passions

fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

read the poem aloud with great fervor

ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

never showed much enthusiasm for sports

zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

preaches with fanatical zeal

Examples of zeal in a Sentence

… he was uncomfortable with their lavish parties and their collector's zeal for the most expensive, most ostentatious brand names—Rolex and Prada and Farragamo. Anne Tyler, Digging to America, 2006
In 1248, channelling his piety into crusading zeal, Louis embarked on the Seventh Crusade, against the wishes of the Pope and against the judgement of his counsellors. Alistair Horne, Seven Ages of Paris, 2002
He showed his anatomical zeal by robbing a wayside gibbet, smuggling the bones back home and reconstructing the skeleton. Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, 1997
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Trump’s attack on Cruz’s father seemed driven less by the zeal of the skeptic than by a petty desire to settle scores. Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 18 July 2025 From there, their paths continued to intersect with Jota following the women’s national team with an ardent zeal. Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 July 2025 Furthermore, parallel to these efforts being the means to improve performance and profitability, many of these initiatives are important incentives for employees to maintain a sense of normalcy and zeal for their careers. Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 The zeal of the 1979 revolution is still visible on the tables of the Den of Spies, in the papers true believers re-assembled strand-by-strand. Karl Vick, Time, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for zeal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English zele, from Late Latin zelus, from Greek zēlos

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zeal was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Zeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeal. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

zeal

noun
: eager desire in going for a goal

More from Merriam-Webster on zeal

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