as in fervent
feeling or showing strong and energetic support for a person, cause, etc.; filled with zeal
zealous fans She was one of the president's most zealous supporters. The detective was zealous in her pursuit of the kidnappers.
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Recent Examples of zealous
Since the library’s books all date from before 1755, a major job here is preservation, and the zealous doorkeeper opens the big front door sparingly to keep out humidity.
—
Rick Steves, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The Washington Post has a long history of zealous support for robust press freedoms.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
Admittedly, conversations might be a bit zealous, but that is the tenor of the day.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Quintus’ frighteningly zealous take is that the nukes being dropped were God’s way of saving Maxon from reprisal.
—Jack King, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zealous
Rick Steves, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The Washington Post has a long history of zealous support for robust press freedoms.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
Admittedly, conversations might be a bit zealous, but that is the tenor of the day.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Quintus’ frighteningly zealous take is that the nukes being dropped were God’s way of saving Maxon from reprisal.
—Jack King, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zealous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zealous
Adjective
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In China, OpenClaw has received a particularly fervent welcome among AI enthusiasts and novices alike.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Fly the Flag of European Alliances Some European public broadcasters are fervent believers on Europe going it alone.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Harmony and an enthusiastic attitude between soldiers are preferred and essential, especially in combat.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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The clips have accumulated millions of views and many enthusiastic comments from Western audiences.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His grandfather had been an ardent Zionist who, in 1975, sold his house, on Long Island, and moved to Beersheba, a city in southern Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Some of the silence is designed to amplify the missing, the previously ignored, the co-opted, the terrorized, the gaslighted, and excluded voices of the country’s most ardent supporters of a multiracial democracy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Malinin, at the post-skate press conference following his world title victory, made his thoughts known in a passionate plea to the ISU (International Skating Union).—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
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Fans are going to be passionate.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Zealous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zealous. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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