zeal

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun zeal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of zeal are ardor, enthusiasm, fervor, and passion. While all these words mean "intense emotion compelling action," zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

preaches with fanatical zeal

When is ardor a more appropriate choice than zeal?

While in some cases nearly identical to zeal, ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

Where would enthusiasm be a reasonable alternative to zeal?

The words enthusiasm and zeal 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 could fervor be used to replace zeal?

While the synonyms fervor and zeal are close in meaning, fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

read the poem aloud with great fervor

When can passion be used instead of zeal?

The synonyms passion and zeal are sometimes interchangeable, but passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

was a slave to his passions

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 zeal But that zeal short-circuited the team’s only real chance against Blake Snell. Andy McCullough, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025 Elsewhere in Los Angeles is Taylor, the band’s backing vocalist, bassist, and multi-instrumentalist, whose steady zeal over the phone is refreshing. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 Oct. 2025 Neophitou-Apostolou’s zeal is to be admired. Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025 Manes admired Bukele’s reformist zeal, former colleagues said. T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for zeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zeal
Noun
  • Grass seedlings are tender and need several weeks to gain vigor before frost and freezing temperatures blanket the lawn.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Though Leo’s lyrics are raw and scribed with vigor and delivered with a backing choir that breaks down into soprano, alto, and tenor vibrato, the track feels too theatric and out of step sonically with the rest of the album.
    Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • His children inspired his barbecue sauce line After leaving the NFL, Mangold put his passion for food into a barbecue sauce line, known as Mangold's 74 BBQ.
    Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • From farmers and engineers to food safety specialists and packaging workers, Taylor Farms employs thousands who share a passion for producing fresh, healthy food.
    William Jones, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Hawks might whip up enthusiasm by waving a bloody shirt or recalling a stab in the back.
    Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
  • And one thing about Andrew that is important to remember is that his enthusiasm is a certain kind of spiritually connected chaos that anyone could do with at any age, at any point in their life.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Why the Phillies, trying to sell him on the fervor of their market, showed him a chart detailing how the reaction of fans to a Kyle Schwarber home run in the 2022 World Series registered on the Richter scale.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Tireless retail buying And anything resembling the demise of the speculative fervor is hard to locate.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Zeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zeal. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on zeal

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