passion

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as in crush
a strong but often short-lived liking for another person her passion passed when she got to know him

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in feeling
passions plural general emotional condition people who are swayed by their passions and not by reason

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word passion distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of passion are affection, emotion, feeling, and sentiment. While all these words mean "a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation," passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

When is it sensible to use affection instead of passion?

The synonyms affection and passion are sometimes interchangeable, but affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.

a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

How are the words emotion and feeling related as synonyms of passion?

Emotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling, encompasses both positive and negative responses.

the drama portrays the emotions of adolescence

When would feeling be a good substitute for passion?

The meanings of feeling and passion largely overlap; however, feeling denotes any partly mental, partly physical response marked by pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion; it may suggest the mere existence of a response but imply nothing about the nature or intensity of it.

the feelings that once moved me are gone

When can sentiment be used instead of passion?

The words sentiment and passion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

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 passion The new approach sees some Gen Zers choosing to take breaks between jobs to travel, pursue passion projects or simply rest. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025 Strong in your incredible talent; your truthful storytelling, passion, and inimitable, rich, soaring voice. Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025 Originally from the Philippines, Rivera has lived in San Diego since 1989 and is a nearly lifelong vegetarian with a deep passion for growing her own food. Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025 Her passion and commitment to the environmental movement in Brazil and beyond, and her dedication to amplifying solutions will be invaluable to our mission. Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for passion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passion
Noun
  • Despite the general enthusiasm around its private market ambitions, investors are keeping a close eye on expense growth, which determines how much of those higher fees trickle down to the bottom line.
    Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The Measured Future of AI For all the enthusiasm around generative AI, Brittan is careful to ground expectations.
    Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will draw the national love this week, but Mahomes has quietly returned to his MVP form.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
  • In addition to the premiere dates, a teaser trailer also gives audiences a tantalizing glimpse at Luke Thompson‘s Benedict encountering his love interest Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The movie, which premiered in the midnights section of the Toronto International Film Festival, follows a hopeless romantic who makes a Faustian bargain to win his crush’s heart.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Season 3 found Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) in a friends-to-lovers arc with neighbor Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who’d harbored a crush on him for years.
    Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Some top producers and talent were impressed by Weiss’ desire to immediately juice the network’s political bookings, as well as her ability to actually nab a few notable guests, like former secretaries of state Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The desire behind the making of the series was to right that wrong.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Luminous and lustrous, Luminous Blue celebrates indigo in its most expressive form—deep, bright blues that shimmer with energy and emotion.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Rachel Chinouriri only recently started penning love songs that capture emotions as intense as the ones that show up across her debut album What a Devastating Turn of Events.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • On a crowded row of steps in front of the adjacent library, Simcha Cohen was coming to terms with her own complicated feelings.
    Kara Fox, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Derek likes to mess with reality and try to capture a feeling on-camera instead of rehearsing everything to death.
    Keaton Bell, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Motivated by Friede’s fearsome Charizard and with almost as much lust for adventure as his trainer Roy, this little fireball (evolved in season two to Crocalor) wants to be the very best, like no one ever was.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
  • That remark — coupled with the image of the ingenue Tilly — generated an outpouring of fury, anxiety, fascination and lust.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That intensity wasn’t reserved for game day, either.
    Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Game 4 was high-intensity from the jump with Cristopher Sanchez and Tyler Glasnow going head-to-head in a pitchers' duel.
    Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Passion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passion. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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