Definition of perfervidnext

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
  • Savannah is so passionate about the game.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Feelings of affection will become passionate.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 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
  • This response remained fervent on social media for months after the season ended, then exploded once again when the team traded Reese to the Atlanta Dream shortly before free agency opened.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
  • May Mailman, who last year coördinated the White House’s higher-education policy as a deputy for Stephen Miller, told me that McMahon made a different impression from other, more fervent Administration figures.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • But with warm weather and wildfire season ahead, community leaders would prefer to see a full reservoir even if the water isn’t suitable for drinking.
    Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The 2026 allergy season is objectively worse than last year’s, driven by warmer temperatures and rising CO2 levels pushing plants to produce more pollen than ever before.
    Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The area that would bear the president’s name has been subject to some of the most intense fighting of the modern age, with tens of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian troops killed in the Donbas over the past few years.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
  • What keeps it from feeling too intense or drying for combination skin is the cushion of tea tree leaf water, which helps calm inflammation.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Snitker grew emotional while thanking his friend and mentor in his speech.
    Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 26 Apr. 2026
  • His emotional reaction to the announcement of his name was caught on camera during the draft telecast.
    Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Kennedy, who has no background in science, medicine, or public health, is well known as an ardent anti-vaccine activist and peddler of conspiracy theories.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
  • This is a lovely film that will appeal to Bernstein’s most ardent fans, while warmly inviting neophytes into his world.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Not everyone is enthusiastic about the new possibilities.
    T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The vibrant purple and vivid oranges, reds, and yellows will bring in enthusiastic bees and butterflies.
    Heather Bien, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Perfervid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfervid. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.

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