élan

noun

Definition of élannext
as in zeal

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of élan But these artists skillfully infuse every note with passion and gritty elan. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Dec. 2025 Schwartzman, though, is comic gold as an inappropriate inlaw while Sessa brightens things up as a broken-hearted sop who insinuates himself with all the elan of a Lab puppy into the neighbor’s next door household. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025 Khrushchev sought to revive revolutionary elan and push the USSR to the final stage of history, the transition from socialism to communism, during which the state apparatus would finally wither away. — Benjamin Nathans september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025 The rule at these gatherings is to move with a semblance of elan. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for élan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for élan
  1. zeal
  2. fervor
  3. verve
  4. brio
  5. gusto
  6. vigor
  7. ardor
  8. vitality
Noun
  • When none of the professors got back to her, Jamie’s initial zeal cooled.
    — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In the changeover, local DJ and sound designer Max Ville helped customize a hi-fi lounge adjacent to the dining room, embodying Brock’s zeal for collectible vinyl.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of zeal
Noun
  • Extended lockdowns and school closures ignite massive backlash—echoing Tea-Party fervor of the Obama years but with distinct and nastier energy.
    — Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Menudo, one of the most successful boy bands of all time, dominated the market in the 1980s with Beatles-mania-level fervor.
    — Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of fervor
Noun
  • Rather than rehashing traditional compositions, the group recognizes these sorely untapped sounds as living and malleable, creating new interpretations that bring them to our times without losing an ounce of their essence and verve.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Now the modern-day Hublot (it was adopted as the brand name after the first model’s success ) hopes to recapture some of that 1980s verve with an all-new version of Crocco’s original model called the Classic Fusion Tributo.
    — Simon de Burton, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of verve
Noun
  • The very creation of the industry was verging on the comic in its breakneck brio.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • And surrounding all the onstage brio is, at long last, an equally vibrant space.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026
Definition of brio
Noun
  • Nino accepted the challenge with gusto, unearthing oddities in the basement of the family’s home in the Hudson Valley, and foraging for foliage and flowers in the surrounding forest.
    — Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In truth, a night that started with so much gusto fell a bit flat from City’s perspective.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of gusto
Noun
  • Ultimately, the United States must remember that its external competitiveness will flow from its internal vigor.
    — Ali Wyne, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Many markets listed on bet365 offer competitive odds and lower vigor.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of vigor
Noun
  • There’s Tom Crutchfield, who loves women with the ardor of Pepé Le Pew but spends most of his time not in pursuit of the ladies but of exotic snakes, lizards, alligators, turtles and whatnot.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Or Ada, the focus of Desacroux’s ardor and obsession after a rapturous night five years prior?
    — Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of ardor
Noun
  • To him, this underscores the vitality of a tentpole investment mind-set at the motion picture studios.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The Lab is built on the understanding that the health of the Arno Basin is linked to the well-being of its local communities, the vitality of its ecosystems, and the economic activities that depend on them.
    — Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of vitality

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Cite this Entry

“élan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/%C3%A9lan. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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