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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ardent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ardent are fervent, fervid, impassioned, passionate, and perfervid. While all these words mean "showing intense feeling," ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

When is fervent a more appropriate choice than ardent?

The words fervent and ardent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

When is it sensible to use fervid instead of ardent?

While the synonyms fervid and ardent are close in meaning, fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

When can impassioned be used instead of ardent?

While in some cases nearly identical to ardent, impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

When could passionate be used to replace ardent?

In some situations, the words passionate and ardent are roughly equivalent. However, passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

When might perfervid be a better fit than ardent?

The meanings of perfervid and ardent largely overlap; however, perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

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 ardent Mendoza has been an ardent critic of the Johnson administration on social media and is considering a run for Chicago mayor. Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025 Field’s somber, clear-eyed Sonya has ardent desires but few illusions. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025 The United States, the most vocal and ardent opponent of reform, has formally left the WHO, but its pressure no doubt will be felt. Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025 The project was first fundraised by Critical Role’s ardent fanbase, who shelled out more than $11.3 million on Kickstarter to bring a 10-episode season to life. Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ardent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ardent
Adjective
  • Leaders who are passionate about their work inspire their teams to share that enthusiasm.
    Edward DeAngelis, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Barman is passionate about removing friction in the DIY process.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Most people – even the most avid birders and aviculturists – have never seen nor even heard about these Neotropical parrots, and to the best of my knowledge, they are not kept in any zoo collections.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Comments As an avid shopper, my closet is often overflowing with clothes, which makes packing for trips a precarious experience.
    Bria McNeal, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • One idea is that about a million years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled and underwent a phase transition, an event similar to how boiling water turns liquid into gas.
    Yasemin Saplakoglu, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2020
  • If candy is still stuck on, pour more boiling water over whatever hasn’t come clean.
    Washington Post, Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019
Adjective
  • Decibel readers in the rafters of the arena can measure the loudest seats in the building, and the Clippers reward those fans with prizes to incentivize more fervent cheering.
    Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • By de-emphasizing the will of not just Poles but also Ukrainians, Hubris underplays the key factor that brought Putin to the point of annexing Crimea in 2014: Ukraine’s fervent hope for closer trade ties with the EU.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Eric Bailly was the most enthusiastic dancer, standing on the massage table giving it some and kicking pizza boxes.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Buehrle delighted a cold but enthusiastic crowd of 25,390 at the stadium during a 6-0 blanking of the Texas Rangers.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Pritzker — who was rumored to be on the shortlist to be former Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate last year — issued a searing rebuke of the Trump administration, in his address.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Her viral speech in Minneapolis in 2020 remains one of the most searing indictments of state violence in recent memory.
    Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • His new kick-change has been a nice weapon against lefties and Taillon is excited about the pitch.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Kolache fans headed to Florida's Gulf Coast shouldn't get too excited yet, though.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • South Florida: While the region is expected to experience another hot and dry day besides a few stray late afternoon showers, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. April 29.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • In cities that have an uneven distribution of foliage, neighborhoods featuring more greenery can offer a relative cooling effect, enabling residents to better withstand dangerously hot summers.
    Henna Hundal, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ardent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ardent. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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