Definition of ardentnext
1
2
3

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 The Tennessee native had been a crane operator, homestead farmer and ardent hunter, according to an online obituary. Robin Gibson, USA Today, 27 July 2026 In another sign that Ukraine is changing minds in Washington, ardent Trump ally Laura Loomer met with Zelenskt in Kyiv on Thursday. Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 In another sign that Ukraine is changing minds in Washington, ardent Trump ally Laura Loomer met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday. ABC News, 24 July 2026 The series offers viewers insight into a setting — interwar Asia — and themes that should be novel to all but the most ardent historians. David Faris, TheWeek, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ardent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ardent
Adjective
  • Klein, a Silicon Valley software engineering manager, was a passionate collector until his hobby overwhelmed his home and family life.
    Terry Chea, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Early signs suggest professional softball can indeed convert passionate fans into a lasting enterprise.
    Allison Smith, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Griffin is the daughter of Kimberly Griffin, a concessionaire at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and an avid reader of this newsletter.
    Adam Beam, AJC.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Most notably, banks and fintech companies have been first movers, looking to capitalize on younger, avid fanbases.
    Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 30 July 2026
Adjective
  • More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.
    Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike e-commerce giants Amazon or Craigslist, Whatnot deliberately targeted a small but fervent base of collectors.
    Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • After spending last summer in the heat of Hong Kong and South Korea, where the Tottenham supporter base is large and fervent, opting for Australia and New Zealand offered a welcome change of pace.
    Elias Burke, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder) for resurrection.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • However, international observers fear that the deal, which Iran is uncharacteristically enthusiastic about, could concede to Tehran unprecedented authority to charge for transit through the strait.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Arguably the highest-profile contract cancellation for Flock came when the Los Angeles Police Department decided to non-renew its years-long contract with the company, a decision motivated by a searing internal audit of the company’s technology.
    Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The searing new memoir, ‘The Wound Is Where the Light Enters,’ details Young’s journey from a mandatory life sentence to freedom through self-education and an extraordinary legal fight.
    Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • At Fox, Collier became known for his passional embrace of blockchain, NFTs and the whole Web3 space.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
Adjective
  • One player Nakase is excited to work with is someone her team was prepared to face on Friday night – Dallas star guard Paige Bueckers.
    Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • This will also be its first year since 2024, when Latino Fest returned after a five-year break to excited crowds.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ardent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ardent. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on ardent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster