Synonym Chooser

How does the noun fervor differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fervor are ardor, enthusiasm, passion, and zeal. While all these words mean "intense emotion compelling action," fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

read the poem aloud with great fervor

When could ardor be used to replace fervor?

In some situations, the words ardor and fervor are roughly equivalent. However, ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

When might enthusiasm be a better fit than fervor?

The words enthusiasm and fervor can be used in similar contexts, but enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

never showed much enthusiasm for sports

When is it sensible to use passion instead of fervor?

The meanings of passion and fervor largely overlap; however, passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

was a slave to his passions

When would zeal be a good substitute for fervor?

While in some cases nearly identical to fervor, zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

preaches with fanatical zeal

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 fervor In the past year, Frank has released music at a dizzying speed, stoking fervor in the industry and his growing fan base. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 20 May 2025 The question, then, is whether the fervor will outlast the figurehead. Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025 Her performance wasn’t just for the people in the title but anyone with a similar fervor and demand for change. Nick Allen, Vulture, 13 May 2025 The Broader, Post-DOGE Agenda Looking beyond DOGE (and beyond the swampy aspects), a broader survey of Trump’s executive orders reveals DOGE as one part of a larger agenda streamlining spending and regulation—sometimes with greater fervor than the DOGE directives themselves. Clyde Wayne Crews Jr, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fervor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fervor
Noun
  • Late last week, some influential Democrats were saying that Lamont’s enthusiasm for his chief regulator may have cooled after PURA conceded destruction of the text messages.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
  • Throughout, the cast of 17 exudes an unmistakable enthusiasm for the material, the onstage electricity radiating up the alpine slopes of the Guthrie’s expansive Wurtele Thrust.
    Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • Known for his breakout role in Snowfall, Idris brings intensity, precision, and charisma to a performance that demanded serious physical training, emotional depth, and even some real-life time on the track.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 27 June 2025
  • Yet, in the nearly two years since then, the brutality and intensity of Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip have mobilized opposition around the world.
    Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • This represents the triumph of emotion over legal reasoning.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 June 2025
  • The teams don’t play each other again until August, so there’s plenty of time for emotions to cool.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • The warmth of the natural teak decks also complements the gleaming geometric forms of the hull and superstructure.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 June 2025
  • Closing my eyes, I was flooded with the familiar warmth and the accompanying tug of distraction.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Imagine telling any of the women in that hairdressers shop that art should be untouched by national and political passion, particularly in time of war.
    Kamila Shamsie June 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
  • Joel often expresses his passion for raising mental health awareness through his work in the media.
    Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fervor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fervor. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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