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 Trump’s accelerationist instincts, the zeal of his fan base, and the complicity, cowardice, and inaction of the Democratic Party in the face of the governing Republican trifecta made the possibility of a military dictatorship in the United States seem borderline plausible. Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025 Musk possesses an almost supernatural ability to conjure investor zeal and create products that redefine entire industries. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Early excitement and zeal often hide the truth that one partner may be contributing far less than the other. Essence, 12 Sep. 2025 Many investors blamed the company’s leadership, saying its zeal for cost-cutting was hurting brand innovation. Dee-Ann Durbin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for zeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zeal
Noun
  • Plants have spreading roots that benefit from division every one to three years to maintain plant vigor.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Eian Bain’s squad with Bridgewater-Raynham showed impressive vigor against a state titan in Mansfield before falling on a walk-off field goal (a 24-21 loss).
    Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Mae raised Burnett’s mother, Louise Creighton, in San Antonio, Texas, but Louise—who had a passion for the cinema, and a severe beauty reminiscent of Joan Crawford’s—harbored dreams of moving to Hollywood to become a columnist on celebrity culture.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Comey was, and is, doing what that NASA custodian was doing – serving his country with passion and pride.
    Billy Ray, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In Houston, home to one of the largest Vietnamese communities stateside, second- and third-generation cooks embrace tradition and experimentation with equal enthusiasm.
    Bao Ong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
  • That enthusiasm has translated into higher-than-expected demand for the handheld, forcing Lenovo to cancel some preorders.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Here, with a flinty gaze and revolutionary fervor, Taylor casts maternal instinct to the winds.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Prayers for an end to slavery were signed by tens of thousands of citizens from the Northern states, many of whom were women galvanized by the evangelical fervor of the Second Great Awakening.
    Time, Time, 24 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on zeal

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