as in fervent
feeling or showing strong and energetic support for a person, cause, etc.; filled with zeal
zealous fans She was one of the president's most zealous supporters. The detective was zealous in her pursuit of the kidnappers.
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Recent Examples of zealous
Admittedly, conversations might be a bit zealous, but that is the tenor of the day.
—
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Quintus’ frighteningly zealous take is that the nukes being dropped were God’s way of saving Maxon from reprisal.
—Jack King, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
At a moment when ambitious podcasts are hard to come by, the zealous fluidity of Fear No Man stands out.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Combining zealous courtroom advocacy with a deft media touch, Jackson has a reputation for seeking big wins for his clients when other defense lawyers might try to cut a deal.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zealous
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Quintus’ frighteningly zealous take is that the nukes being dropped were God’s way of saving Maxon from reprisal.
—Jack King, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
At a moment when ambitious podcasts are hard to come by, the zealous fluidity of Fear No Man stands out.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Combining zealous courtroom advocacy with a deft media touch, Jackson has a reputation for seeking big wins for his clients when other defense lawyers might try to cut a deal.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zealous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zealous
Adjective
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This brilliant, vibrant woman was a singular candidate, who could turn out her fervent base for a win.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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Kurdish towns were among the most fervent sites of protests in 2022 following the death in custody of a Kurdish-Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini.—
John Calabrese,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The first screening was at Sundance, and there was a very enthusiastic reception.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
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But analysis about its debut was less enthusiastic.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The connection between the antisemitic rhetoric and antisemitic violence is becoming hard to deny, even for the most ardent apologists.—
Nolan Finley,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
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Remedios gave an ardent performance during episode 2 of season 29 of The Voice this month.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One of our clients is passionate about astronomy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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Running through Reiner's pantheon of successful films, Crystal described a vibrant artist and passionate activist whose wit and comedy delighted audiences for decades.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Zealous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zealous. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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