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a passionate interest
an enthusiastic interest
a devoted interest
an eager interest
a profound interest
a deep interest
a passionate debate
an intense debate
a heated debate
a vigorous debate
a furious debate
a violent debate
passionate love
heated love
sensual love
intense love

Synonym Chooser

How is the word passionate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of passionate are ardent, fervent, fervid, impassioned, and perfervid. While all these words mean "showing intense feeling," passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

When could ardent be used to replace passionate?

While in some cases nearly identical to passionate, ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

When is it sensible to use fervent instead of passionate?

Although the words fervent and passionate have much in common, fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

When is fervid a more appropriate choice than passionate?

While the synonyms fervid and passionate are close in meaning, fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

When can impassioned be used instead of passionate?

The words impassioned and passionate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

When might perfervid be a better fit than passionate?

The words perfervid and passionate can be used in similar contexts, but perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

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 passionate Video footage emerged of Silva giving a passionate pre-match speech to his teammates about the loss of his stepfather and the need to seize the moment. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 4 July 2025 In revisiting Frederick Douglass’s passionate indictment of America’s foundational contradictions, we are reminded that confronting these contradictions remains an unfinished task. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 4 July 2025 As a passionate outdoor enthusiast and lifelong hiker, hitting the trail is one of my favorite ways to explore a new destination. Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2025 Geragos molded Combs’s relationships with Ventura and Jane into nasty little afternoon soaps: the passionate meeting, the descent into addictive toxicity, infidelity and violence on both sides, the separation, and, ex post facto, the financial revenge. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for passionate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passionate
Adjective
  • The long jump was not the only field event that delivered intense competition.
    Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
  • There were several safety cars during the race, along with changing conditions with periods of intense rain followed by a drying track.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
Adjective
  • Without a hot fastball, even as a tease pitch, the tightrope becomes slimmer.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2025
  • Learning New Skills That Are Hot Enriching yourself with new skills is always worth it, but focusing on hot skills is even more rewarding.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Stacy sought to foster emotional and physical self-reliance among its campers, according to Texas Monthly, which cited an old brochure from her time.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 5 July 2025
  • Cortisol rises during times of emotional or physical stress.
    Renée Onque, CNBC, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • Why some tattoo artists push back against AI tattoo machines Of course, not everyone is excited about this change.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
  • Not everyone will be excited to see the president back in town, however.
    Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The fans who showed up at the Intuit Dome were enthusiastic enough, especially when the in-game host fired them up, but the matchups between geographic neighbors Palm Beach and Miami, and L.A. and San Diego, don’t exactly scream rivalry.
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
  • Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career.
    Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Rather than being lustful or playful, there’s a nervousness and a discomfort about her.
    Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024
  • The lustful reggaeton-bachata song about a twisted love affair would shock fans upon its release in the spring of 2005.
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Here, guests and stylish locals alike graze on warm flatbreads, stacked club sandwiches, silky smoked salmon & cream cheese bagels, and sharing Seafood and Charcuterie boards—brimming with serrano ham, pillowy focaccia, smoked mackerel, and plump Atlantic prawns. Prefer a slower pace?
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • How To Clean Stovetop Grates With Vinegar Fill a pan or sink with equal parts warm water and vinegar.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Some of the president's most ardent supporters were in uproar.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • The audience is on board before the show even starts This show attracts ardent followers.
    Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Passionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passionate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on passionate

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