Definition of passionatenext

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of passionate are ardent, fervent, fervid, impassioned, and perfervid. While all these words mean "showing intense feeling," passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

When could ardent be used to replace passionate?

While in some cases nearly identical to passionate, ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

When is it sensible to use fervent instead of passionate?

Although the words fervent and passionate have much in common, fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

When is fervid a more appropriate choice than passionate?

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

fervid love letters

When can impassioned be used instead of passionate?

The words impassioned and passionate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

When might perfervid be a better fit than passionate?

The words perfervid and passionate can be used in similar contexts, but 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 passionate Heterosexual men also reported feeling passionate love more times on average than heterosexual women, but no such differences appeared between men or women who were gay, lesbian or bisexual. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2026 Heathcliff arrives too late to say goodbye, and tearfully cradles her dead body as a montage of their passionate romance flashes across the screen. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026 Negin Ghadimi was a passionate artist. Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026 The Harambee neighborhood is full of history and passionate residents. Kynala Phillips, jsonline.com, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for passionate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passionate
Adjective
  • The employee, a mother of two teen girls, warned about the filters and said the pressure on teen girls is intense.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
  • During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
    Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The Freak from The Girls Deli in North Park is a hot sandwich with salty pastrami, brisket, melted jack cheese, bacon, mustard, spicy sriracha mayo, onions, and jalapeños.
    Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The show captures the frenzy of all-consuming lust and the chaos that arises in the wake of a blazing hot relationship without true depth or knowledge of the other partner.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The speech saw the ceremony’s host Désirée Nosbusch become emotional and get into back-and-forth with audience members who called out in support of the criticism of Israel and the German government.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Feb. 2026
  • The difficulty lies in aligning financial reality, operational necessity, and emotional desire into a decision that makes sense five and 10 years from now.
    Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Broker Gino Kalasho of Commercial Asset Advisors, who worked with Las Cuatro Milpas in securing the new space, said Monday that the family was a delight to work with and that the other retail tenants at Mercado del Barrio are excited about the prospect of having the restaurant as a new neighbor.
    Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
  • After making the Olympic team, the New Jersey native was most excited about the village.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The pact, part of a realignment of MLB’s sports-rights relationships gives ESPN purview over thousands of games that are made available to fans outside a specific home team’s market — widely seen as some of the most passionate and enthusiastic among followers of the national pastime.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
  • That’s why the Fed’s minutes are being interpreted by many this morning as being relatively hawkish—meaning that the Federal Open Market Committee is less enthusiastic about cutting interest rates further.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • This Valentine’s Day, why not treat yourself to a perfume that beckons lustful strangers in a way not seen since Monica Bellucci at that Sicilian piazza in Malèna.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The two admit to having always loved each other (that's not a spoiler; the book is nearly 200 years old) and begin a steamy, lustful affair.
    Amanda Luberto, AZCentral.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Tea is presented alongside the ritualistic high pour synonymous with Moroccan tradition, which is not only an enjoyable spectacle, but a gesture of warm welcome.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026
  • This week’s storms are especially welcome because the statewide snowpack has been lagging after weeks of unusually warm, dry weather.
    James Ward, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Doomed endorsements Trump has retained an ardent core of MAGA followers throughout his time in office, making his endorsement coveted in primaries.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
  • But both Guttenberg and Wasserman Schultz expressed hope that a reasonable proposal can meet the approval of the Second Amendment’s most ardent defenders.
    Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Passionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passionate. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

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