Zealous
adjective
Showing a lot of interest and enthusiasm.
She is very zealous in her pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Often appears as...
- a zealous advocate
- zealous pursuit
adjective
Having great energy and enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.
He is a zealous defender of human rights.
Often appears as...
- zealous advocate
- zealous representation
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
adjective
Showing a lot of interest and enthusiasm.
She is very zealous in her pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Often appears as...
- a zealous advocate
- zealous pursuit
adjective
Having great energy and enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.
He is a zealous defender of human rights.
Often appears as...
- zealous advocate
- zealous representation
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Intensity
Zealous indicates a high degree of intensity and energy in someone's actions or beliefs.
Her zealous work ethic led to a promotion within months.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Passion
Zealous often carries a positive connotation, suggesting positive and fervent support for something.
As a zealous volunteer, he always arrived first and left last.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Overzealous
Be cautious not to confuse zealous with overzealous, which can imply excessive zeal.
Though zealous in her beliefs, she remained respectful of others.
Pro Tip 1/3Intensity
Zealous indicates a high degree of intensity and energy in someone's actions or beliefs.
Her zealous work ethic led to a promotion within months.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Passion
Zealous often carries a positive connotation, suggesting positive and fervent support for something.
As a zealous volunteer, he always arrived first and left last.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Overzealous
Be cautious not to confuse zealous with overzealous, which can imply excessive zeal.
Though zealous in her beliefs, she remained respectful of others.
Pro Tip 1/3Intensity
Zealous indicates a high degree of intensity and energy in someone's actions or beliefs.
Her zealous work ethic led to a promotion within months.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Passion
Zealous often carries a positive connotation, suggesting positive and fervent support for something.
As a zealous volunteer, he always arrived first and left last.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Overzealous
Be cautious not to confuse zealous with overzealous, which can imply excessive zeal.
Though zealous in her beliefs, she remained respectful of others.
Compare with
ardentcommitdedicatoryeagerenthusiasticfanaticalfervencyfervidintensepassionate
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Video examples
History's "worst" nun -...
Despite its controversy, her work still inspired adoration, and numerous proposals. But Juana was more interested in knowledge than marriage. And in the patriarchal society of the time, there was only one place she could find it. The Church, while still under the zealous influence of the Spanish Inquisition,
Video examples
History's "worst" nun -...
Despite its controversy, her work still inspired adoration, and numerous proposals. But Juana was more interested in knowledge than marriage. And in the patriarchal society of the time, there was only one place she could find it. The Church, while still under the zealous influence of the Spanish Inquisition,
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
H. W. Brands
American Historian
Reagan's enduring value as a conservative icon stems from his resolute preaching of the conservative gospel, in words that still warm the hearts of the most zealous conservatives. Yet Reagan's value as a conservative model must begin with recognition of his flexibility in the pursuit of his conservative goals.
Quote examples
Barton Gellman
American Journalist
Scott Ritter is a very well-known archetype of a certain U.S. military officer. Very hard talking, very ambitious, zealous, and completely consumed with carrying out his mission. He's a guy who, throughout his career, I would say, did not break rules, but he worked around road blocks.
Quote examples
Alistair Horne
British Historian
In Tbilisi in 1990, I recall watching zealous Georgians smash statues of Lenin and Stalin. A few days earlier, though, in Moscow I had been invited to address the Red Army, as one of the first Brits to benefit from Glasnost. The subject they chose: The Cuban Missile Crisis.
Quote examples
Siri Hustvedt
American Novelist
Henry Miller is a famous writer whose work has fallen out of fashion, but I strongly recommend that readers who don't know his work pick up a book and experience this writer's zealous, crazy, inventive, funny, sexy, often delirious prose.
Quote examples
Khalil Gibran
Lebanese Poet
Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite; if the second, then you are an oasis in the desert.
Quote examples
Paul Begala
American Journalist
Again and again, I've seen Bush turn a blind eye as his henchmen have leveled zealous attacks against his political enemies - assaults which the president himself has sometimes directly encouraged.
Quote examples
Stephen Baldwin
American Actor
I just think that probably when somebody calls themselves 'born again' and kind of goes out there in a pretty radically zealous way, professes their glee about that, it can creep people out.
Quote examples
Virginia Postrel
American Writer
The children who are 'our future' will inherit a world created not just by parental devotion but by the sort of zealous, focused endeavors that can preclude good parenting.
Quote examples
Fred Frith
English Composer
I think things changed as a result of a certain perception of our politics. When we went through our zealous, self-righteous period it didn't exactly win us any friends.
Quote examples
Gary Hamel
American Businessman
To escape the curse of commoditization, a company has to be a game-changer, and that requires employees who are proactive, inventive and zealous.
Quote examples
H. W. Brands
American Historian
Reagan's enduring value as a conservative icon stems from his resolute preaching of the conservative gospel, in words that still warm the hearts of the most zealous conservatives. Yet Reagan's value as a conservative model must begin with recognition of his flexibility in the pursuit of his conservative goals.
Quote examples
Barton Gellman
American Journalist
Scott Ritter is a very well-known archetype of a certain U.S. military officer. Very hard talking, very ambitious, zealous, and completely consumed with carrying out his mission. He's a guy who, throughout his career, I would say, did not break rules, but he worked around road blocks.
Quote examples
Alistair Horne
British Historian
In Tbilisi in 1990, I recall watching zealous Georgians smash statues of Lenin and Stalin. A few days earlier, though, in Moscow I had been invited to address the Red Army, as one of the first Brits to benefit from Glasnost. The subject they chose: The Cuban Missile Crisis.
Quote examples
Siri Hustvedt
American Novelist
Henry Miller is a famous writer whose work has fallen out of fashion, but I strongly recommend that readers who don't know his work pick up a book and experience this writer's zealous, crazy, inventive, funny, sexy, often delirious prose.
Quote examples
Khalil Gibran
Lebanese Poet
Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite; if the second, then you are an oasis in the desert.
Quote examples
Paul Begala
American Journalist
Again and again, I've seen Bush turn a blind eye as his henchmen have leveled zealous attacks against his political enemies - assaults which the president himself has sometimes directly encouraged.
Quote examples
Stephen Baldwin
American Actor
I just think that probably when somebody calls themselves 'born again' and kind of goes out there in a pretty radically zealous way, professes their glee about that, it can creep people out.
Quote examples
Virginia Postrel
American Writer
The children who are 'our future' will inherit a world created not just by parental devotion but by the sort of zealous, focused endeavors that can preclude good parenting.
Quote examples
Fred Frith
English Composer
I think things changed as a result of a certain perception of our politics. When we went through our zealous, self-righteous period it didn't exactly win us any friends.
Quote examples
Gary Hamel
American Businessman
To escape the curse of commoditization, a company has to be a game-changer, and that requires employees who are proactive, inventive and zealous.
Example 1 of 10
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