Synonyms of zeal

zeal

noun

as in vigor

a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined to do something

She attacked her homework with renewed zeal after getting her first A.

a politician known for his zeal for reform

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vigor
• passion
• enthusiasm
• fervor
• ardor
• élan
• energy
• fire
• vitality
• gusto
• dynamism
• verve
• eagerness
• drive
• dash
• exuberance
• hardihood
• pep
• brio
• zest
• vim
• starch
• vinegar
• esprit
• ginger
• life
• juice
• oomph
• bounce
• zing
• get-up-and-go
• gas
• relish
• avidity
• zip
• punch
• beans
• sap
• keenness
• go
• vivacity
• moxie
• spirit
• liveliness
• spiritedness
• spunk
• vibrancy
• briskness
• sprightliness
• animation
• snap
• animal spirits
• vivaciousness
• jauntiness
• vibrance
• spunkiness
• snappiness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifference
• apathy
• disinterestedness
• indolence
• lukewarmness
• laziness
• lethargy
• halfheartedness
• perfunctoriness
• sluggishness
• listlessness
• torpidity

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

Recent Examples of zeal

Joyce, with visionary zeal, puts her foot down at staging yet another production of Oklahoma! —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025

Glatter herself lost her home, but is moving forward with more zeal than ever. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 30 Mar. 2025

Those on the left must recognize that their moralistic zeal and narrowing of intellectual discourse have turned educational and cultural institutions into engines of alienation, not trust. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025

Champion Know-How Over Credential A highly successful R&D company in the aerospace industry described how so many of their associates worked for free after retirement, driven solely by their zeal to learn. —Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025