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 The man in a blue Hawaiian shirt paced up and down the line of fellow protesters outside the Congress Plaza Hotel on South Michigan Avenue, shouting into a megaphone with the fervor of someone leading the sermon at a megachurch. Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025 The fervor around the $1 trillion brand has never been stronger, simultaneously compelling fans to make pilgrimages from as far as Nova Scotia and attracting protesters who decry Musk’s stance on just about everything. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 31 July 2025 The Paris Commune—seventy-two days of intense revolutionary fervor—followed. Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 25 July 2025 On TikTok, Gen Z shoppers are hunting down Y2K-era accessories and handmade baubles with a near-religious fervor, turning DIY aesthetics into status symbols. Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for fervor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fervor
Noun
  • Originally self-published, Until the World Falls Down constellated enthusiasm on TikTok in the weeks following its publication, ultimately leading to a three-book deal with a publisher.
    Logan Karlie September 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
  • But when the Republican voters lack enthusiasm, as in 2022, Democrats go into the fall with a clear advantage.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The goal is to allow the fire to meet the holding features at the lowest possible fire intensity.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Its presence in the night sky on Saturday may make any auroras harder to see, but that does depends on their intensity.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is nothing left now but rhythm and exhaustion and raw emotion and stardust bursting out of you.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The show’s palette trends toward bottle-green woods, gauzy golden light, dusky midnight-blue nighttime scenes, and grimly gray interiors, and within those tableaus, Task’s male characters are gorgeously aggrieved, emotion pouring off of them like coffee from a Wawa urn.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When life events call for satisfying comfort food, try our Eggplant Parmesan to evoke warmth and tenderness.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • As the sun set over the East River, the music faded but the warmth lingered.
    Essence, Essence, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Jackson Sanders is passionate about aviation, and the Mt. Juliet High School senior couldn't wait to share that passion.
    Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Even while caring for her son, Emmons pursued her passion for education.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fervor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fervor. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fervor

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