Meaning & use

zeal

noun·Academic

Great energy and enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause, goal, or belief.

See it in a sentence

The volunteers cleaned the beach with a zeal that surprised even the organizers.

Her zeal for the new project meant she was often the first to arrive and the last to leave.

A note on using this word

Zeal often implies intense, sometimes excessive devotion; it can carry a slightly critical tone when used of religious or political fervor.

Words with a similar meaning

enthusiasmfervorpassion

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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