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

Related 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

Dissimilar Words

• 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

Yet from No Child Left Behind through the push for the Common Core into today’s zeal for science of reading, policy leaders are frustrated that the version of policy that occurs in the classroom does not match their vision. — Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

As Prime Minister, Howard—a lifelong conservative who has lived abroad once, campaigning for the Tories in London—was known for having an almost schoolboy zeal for the job. — Oscar Schwartz, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

While most would chalk Phil's zeal up to just being an old-school kind of guy, some fans postulate that the Shah of Iran is actually a closeted homosexual himself, and there are a few examples to back this up. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026

Erdozain writes with a poet’s concision but a maximalist’s zeal, leaving no room in his historical account for any doubt that American exceptionalism has been a singularly detrimental force. — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026