Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of perfervid are ardent, fervent, fervid, impassioned, and passionate. While all these words mean "showing intense feeling," perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

When might ardent be a better fit than perfervid?

The words ardent and perfervid can be used in similar contexts, but ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

In what contexts can fervent take the place of perfervid?

While in some cases nearly identical to perfervid, fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

When can fervid be used instead of perfervid?

The words fervid and perfervid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

When would impassioned be a good substitute for perfervid?

The synonyms impassioned and perfervid are sometimes interchangeable, but impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

When is it sensible to use passionate instead of perfervid?

While the synonyms passionate and perfervid are close in meaning, passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

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 perfervid The scant paintings on view reverse an emphasis on figurative imagery in the 2019 Biennial, tilting toward a lately prevalent revival of abstraction in perfervid styles that have yet to demonstrate staying power. Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2022 This latest controversy won’t dent Thomas’s formidable reputation as a jurist, but it’s another mark against his perfervid critics who have no decency. Rich Lowry, National Review, 1 Apr. 2022 So why, with all this perfervid material at her disposal, did the director, Haifaa Al-Mansour, and her co-screenwriter, Emma Jensen, opt for such cautiousness? Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 May 2018 Down south near San Diego, gray-faced children toil in a slave-labor camp that Dickens could not have imagined in his most perfervid dreams. Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 4 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfervid
Adjective
  • Both Song and Johnson are passionate about the genre, citing the works of Nora Ephron and Jim Brooks, among others, as deep comforts.
    Jessica Wang, EW.com, 2 May 2025
  • Forest fans had been outstanding at Wembley, offering passionate backing on a showpiece occasion.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Fetterman voted for several of President Donald Trump’s nominees, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, and has been a fervent supporter of Israel in its war in Gaza against the terrorist group Hamas.
    Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 11 May 2025
  • But, whatever the White House and its most fervent allies insisted at the time, the Signal chat was a major embarrassment.
    The Editors, National Review, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Soak your grates in a mixture of warm water and vinegar.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
  • Hollywood’s obsession with IP and sequels certainly hasn’t gone away, and the upcoming warm months will feature a number of remakes that nobody really asked for.
    Ben Rosenstock, Time, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • In the game, the station is in the bright sunlight, and the subway tunnel experience takes a lot longer, and isn’t quite as intense.
    Adam B. Vary, Variety, 5 May 2025
  • And, George, Elon Musk told reporters this week it's been a very intense 100 days.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Melling portrays parking attendant Colin with the thrilling curiosity and emotional depth of a young gay man exploring his sexuality for the first time, while attempting to define his own desires and identity, independent of his much more experienced dom.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 May 2025
  • That tension, both emotional and class-based, gave the film a new dynamic.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Among Mao’s most ardent admirers, there’s a sense of pride that the US president appears to be borrowing from the revolutionary playbook of their esteemed supreme leader.
    Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 12 May 2025
  • Prime Minister Modi in India has been a very ardent Hindu nationalist.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 10 May 2025
Adjective
  • In 2019, Joker received an enthusiastic eight-minute reception in Venice.
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 13 May 2025
  • And of course, the ship’s enthusiastic and highly experienced dive masters are always there make sure the diving is safe and fun.
    Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • For two and a half centuries, religious freedom has driven America's story.
    Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
  • Soon afterward, gunmen attacked members of the Druze religious minority in towns south of Damascus, setting off fierce battles that left more than 100 people dead.
    Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 14 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perfervid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfervid. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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