Definitions

zeal

[zeel] / zil /

NOUN

enthusiasm

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ardor determination devotion diligence eagerness earnestness fanaticism fervor gusto inclination intensity passion perseverance sincerity spirit urgency verve warmth zest

STRONG

alacrity bustle dispatch drive enterprise fierceness fire hustle initiative intentness keenness mania push readiness vehemence yen

WEAK

stick-to-itiveness what it takes

Antonyms

STRONGEST

apathy coolness disinterest dullness inactivity indifference insincerity laziness lethargy neglect unenthusiasm

STRONG

discouragement

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By the following month, the zeal had died out, partly due to a valuation correction in software.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Kim Il Sung’s upbringing gave the young man a front-row seat to the power of faith—its power to mobilize and inspire awe, devotion, fear or zeal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

She also implied that, in her zeal to fix the city’s problems, she quietly pushed out a dozen high-level bureaucrats, including those who dealt with trash pickup and police recruitment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

The Claude zeal has spread widely this month, even to non-engineers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026

Some carried themselves with a sort of wistful resignation, others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline or good humor or macho zeal.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Vocabulary lists containing zeal

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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List 1

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The Things They Carried

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