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
Meanwhile, Harris welcomed her endorsement by Dick Cheney, who was not a very popular vice president but was a zealous defender of torturing Muslims.
—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
After Diego Lopes’ finish of Steve Garcia in the opener, beer rained from the sky as zealous fans threw cups — doubling as a nod of gratitude to the clouds overhead, which held back from dumping actual rain and thunderstorms that had threatened the evening.
—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
One by one, Pryor named 42 defendants who had been caught up in sting operations by zealous investigators who manufactured crack cocaine and sold it, arresting the buyers at the end of the process.
—
Rafael Olmeda,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
The nearness of the zealous asteroid Eris in Aries adds a touch of drama and intensity to the cosmic atmosphere.
—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for zealous
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
After Diego Lopes’ finish of Steve Garcia in the opener, beer rained from the sky as zealous fans threw cups — doubling as a nod of gratitude to the clouds overhead, which held back from dumping actual rain and thunderstorms that had threatened the evening.
—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
One by one, Pryor named 42 defendants who had been caught up in sting operations by zealous investigators who manufactured crack cocaine and sold it, arresting the buyers at the end of the process.
—
Rafael Olmeda,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
The nearness of the zealous asteroid Eris in Aries adds a touch of drama and intensity to the cosmic atmosphere.
—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for zealous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zealous
Adjective
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Goldberg, a fervent fan of the Boys in Blue, is the founder of the Echo Park Spiritual Outreach community, Nefesh.
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Rivaling artificial intelligence super PACs are seeking to affect the candidacy of Alex Bores, a New York state Assemblyman, who has been a fervent supporter of AI regulations.
Adjective
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China, the world's top crude importer, has not been particularly enthusiastic about purchasing Iranian oil, despite traditionally being the main buyer of the country's energy.
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None of these kids sits at the top of the Australian rankings, but behind them is a team of enthusiastic parents who formed a non-profit – Red Dirt Australian Rodeo – to raise money for the trip.
Adjective
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Even the most ardent defenders of this basics-first approach acknowledge that some buildings will never be habitable without active cooling.
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Kyiv and its allies may be feeling pretty good about the present state of the war with Russia, but an intense historical feud has reignited, threatening relations between Ukraine and one of its most ardent backers.
Adjective
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The Democrats are also passionate about the Constitution, the rule of law and due process — all high ground positions.
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Even in some of the big, seemingly soulless companies, there’s a lot of really passionate people who want to make art.
Cite this Entry
“Zealous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zealous. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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