Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of perfervid are ardent, fervent, fervid, impassioned, and passionate. While all these words mean "showing intense feeling," perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

When might ardent be a better fit than perfervid?

The words ardent and perfervid can be used in similar contexts, but ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

In what contexts can fervent take the place of perfervid?

While in some cases nearly identical to perfervid, fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

When can fervid be used instead of perfervid?

The words fervid and perfervid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

When would impassioned be a good substitute for perfervid?

The synonyms impassioned and perfervid are sometimes interchangeable, but impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

When is it sensible to use passionate instead of perfervid?

While the synonyms passionate and perfervid are close in meaning, passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

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 perfervid The scant paintings on view reverse an emphasis on figurative imagery in the 2019 Biennial, tilting toward a lately prevalent revival of abstraction in perfervid styles that have yet to demonstrate staying power. Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2022 This latest controversy won’t dent Thomas’s formidable reputation as a jurist, but it’s another mark against his perfervid critics who have no decency. Rich Lowry, National Review, 1 Apr. 2022 So why, with all this perfervid material at her disposal, did the director, Haifaa Al-Mansour, and her co-screenwriter, Emma Jensen, opt for such cautiousness? Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 May 2018 Down south near San Diego, gray-faced children toil in a slave-labor camp that Dickens could not have imagined in his most perfervid dreams. Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 4 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfervid
Adjective
  • While traditional agencies mainly focus on commission structures, Iftiu built his organization around leadership development and recruiting salespeople who are passionate about putting clients first.
    William Jones, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Kaif Shaikh Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • At Fox, Collier became known for his passional embrace of blockchain, NFTs and the whole Web3 space.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
Adjective
  • The Patek Philippe Nautilus, Richard Mille RM, Rolex GMT-Master II, and Rolex Daytona are unquestionably titans in the vast pantheon of contemporary horology, with a fervent and international following.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • McCarthy struggled for the majority of his first appearance in a regular-season game, with the Vikings offense unable to manufacture yards and appearing out of sync in a fervent atmosphere at Soldier Field.
    Ben Morse, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Forget the crowds of other Rocky Mountain destinations—Durango gives visitors a warm Colorado welcome, and then some.
    Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Fall and winter are ideal for testing the soil in flower and vegetable gardens, as well as warm-season turfgrass lawns.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Pyongyang has continued to exercise significant control over the population and severely restrict the rights and freedoms of its population, and that has only gotten more intense over the last decade.
    Mike Brest, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This question — which strikes at the heart of a perennial issue in American politics, frequently reignited by recurring mass shootings — sparked an intense partisan divide.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This is the Oscar-winning director's first-ever acting Emmy nomination, and his daughter Francesca shared his emotional reaction to being nominated.
    Carson Blackwelder, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Their emotional personal stories helped fuel the popularity of lotteries.
    Safiyah Riddle, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • All hail this ardent, ferocious, baroque, bonkers bard.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Shinola continues to be an ardent promoter of Made in America.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The opposition leader maintains close ties with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the most enthusiastic proponents in the Cabinet of this particular naval buildup.
    Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In the same piece from Heyman, Phillies president of baseball operations David Dombrowski gave an even more enthusiastic quote about a potential Schwarber reunion.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perfervid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfervid. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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