zeal

noun

: eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something : fervor
… they took office with an undisguised zeal to do everything differently …The Boston Globe
Choose the Right Synonym for zeal

passion, fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, zeal mean intense emotion compelling action.

passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

gave in to his passions

fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

read the poem aloud with great fervor

ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

never showed much enthusiasm for sports

zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

preaches with fanatical zeal

Examples of zeal in a Sentence

… he was uncomfortable with their lavish parties and their collector's zeal for the most expensive, most ostentatious brand names—Rolex and Prada and Farragamo. Anne Tyler, Digging to America, 2006
In 1248, channelling his piety into crusading zeal, Louis embarked on the Seventh Crusade, against the wishes of the Pope and against the judgement of his counsellors. Alistair Horne, Seven Ages of Paris, 2002
He showed his anatomical zeal by robbing a wayside gibbet, smuggling the bones back home and reconstructing the skeleton. Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, 1997
Recent Examples on the Web Walton, joined by Greg Lee, Keith Wilkes, and Tommy Curtis among the eight members of the freshman team, charged into the first day of practice with the same zeal that would come to mark each of his first three years. Scott Howard-Cooper., Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Their deployments lack the ideological zeal of the foreign legionaries who flocked to Ukraine in the early months of the war. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Musk has been the recipient of some of Swisher’s harshest criticisms; she’s taken him to task with a level of zeal that seems to belie a deeper emotional reason for her frustration. Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 Eisai, like Biogen, is a company driven by a zeal for profits. Jason Karlawish, STAT, 6 Feb. 2024 As the sport continues its upward trajectory, the United States stands on the brink of a new era of Formula 1 zeal. Kyle Russell, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024 Even in Rhode Island, one of the three states that have a homeless bill of rights, advocates say authorities often ignore the law in their zeal to get homeless people off the streets. Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2024 But in its zeal to wrap history around colorful personalities, the show does the reverse. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 Experts have expressed worry that the post-Northridge zeal for seismic safety has slowed as memories fade and California sees a growing population of people who have never experienced a disastrous quake. Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zeal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English zele, from Late Latin zelus, from Greek zēlos

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zeal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near zeal

Cite this Entry

“Zeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

zeal

noun
: eager desire in going for a goal

More from Merriam-Webster on zeal

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