Definition of enthusiasmnext
1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun enthusiasm differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of enthusiasm are ardor, fervor, passion, and zeal. While all these words mean "intense emotion compelling action," enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

never showed much enthusiasm for sports

When would ardor be a good substitute for enthusiasm?

While in some cases nearly identical to enthusiasm, ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

When might fervor be a better fit than enthusiasm?

The synonyms fervor and enthusiasm are sometimes interchangeable, but fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

read the poem aloud with great fervor

When could passion be used to replace enthusiasm?

While the synonyms passion and enthusiasm are close in meaning, passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

was a slave to his passions

Where would zeal be a reasonable alternative to enthusiasm?

The words zeal and enthusiasm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

preaches with fanatical zeal

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 enthusiasm However many locals have failed to catch Olympic fever with high ticket prices and fears about traffic, security measures and crowded Metro trains dampening enthusiasm. Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026 Peterson could barely contain his enthusiasm. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026 Even having to wait on outlandishly long food and drink lines before the start couldn’t dampen the Olympic enthusiasm. Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Feb. 2026 In the interim, hundreds if not thousands of people responded to the clip with enthusiasm. Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enthusiasm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enthusiasm
Noun
  • These latests features are designed for enterprises who want to integrate their AI technology with either existing Salesforce data or even their own data.
    Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The latests deaths included three residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas, as well as a Balch Springs man in his 20s and a Dallas man in his 60s.
    Dana Branham, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2020
Noun
  • Send Help gives its beleaguered office-worker protagonist a thirst for blood.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
  • But at this point, the trend’s persistence and the thirst with which its products are consumed suggest a more profound connection between these stories and their audience.
    Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Historic volatility The Cboe Gold Volatility Index surged this month to its highest level since the Covid pandemic in 2020, reflecting the intensity of the metal’s recent volatility.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • These settings reduce the speed and intensity of the tumbling action, minimizing the likelihood of tangling.
    Anyssa Roberts, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Chipotle launched a high-protein menu in a bit to appeal to GLP-1 users and Gen Z diners fuelling the protein craze.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Under Erdoğan, Istanbul and the rest of the country has seen a construction craze, with bridges, tunnels, plazas, malls, and roads going up seemingly overnight with little regard to the city’s cultural heritage.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Though youth turnout is typically low in Japan, Takaichi’s rise has injected rare excitement into a demographic long disenchanted with national politics.
    Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • But not everyone shares excitement over the success sequence — which may come across as innocuous advice, but detractors say is built upon dubious data, overlooks racial disparities and shames students who are raised in single-parent households.
    Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Mostly, however, Gee’s sophisticated, stealthily moving film folds any bursts of emotion into its exquisitely dark shadows, letting Evans’ limpid but heartsore music do most of the weeping.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Throughout, emotion churns and chafes against a backdrop of political unrest, corporate malfeasance, and the everyday horrors that erode modern life.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • A lot of what’s gone on is just multiple expansion, optimism about a weaker dollar, excitement about consumer spending trends overseas and other ephemeral ideas that haven’t yet become manifest in the companies’ actual results.
    Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The route’s comeback also reflects a broader trend emerging across the airline industry.
    Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Over the past couple of years, as millions of Americans began taking these GLP-1s — and as appetites have shrunk — restaurants started to notice.
    Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Today, travel appetites have changed.
    Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enthusiasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enthusiasm. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on enthusiasm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!