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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ardent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ardent are fervent, fervid, impassioned, passionate, and perfervid. While all these words mean "showing intense feeling," ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

When is fervent a more appropriate choice than ardent?

The words fervent and ardent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

When is it sensible to use fervid instead of ardent?

While the synonyms fervid and ardent are close in meaning, fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

When can impassioned be used instead of ardent?

While in some cases nearly identical to ardent, impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

When could passionate be used to replace ardent?

In some situations, the words passionate and ardent are roughly equivalent. However, passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

When might perfervid be a better fit than ardent?

The meanings of perfervid and ardent largely overlap; however, perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

Examples 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 ardent On the other hand, many ardent Chevy Tri-Five folks will posit any number of valid arguments why the original ’55, or ideally proportioned ’56, should take the podium in a Bel Air beauty contest. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 20 Dec. 2024 This sparks her ardent imagination more than any husband tidying the garden could. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024 McConnell was diagnosed with polio as a child and is an ardent defender of the vaccine. Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Dec. 2024 Since joining Donald Trump‘s inner circle, Elon Musk has increasingly flexed his political muscle, aggravating some of the president-elect’s most ardent supporters and increasing concerns over the high-profile billionaire’s growing influence. Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 31 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ardent 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ardent
Adjective
  • Start taking a closer look at sports that might be considered new but have passionate competitors and advocates.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Leave it to my grandfather—and Southern Living editors—to have passionate opinions about this classic sweet.
    Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Spending time going places and doing things alone can be transformative, says Jessica Gaddy, a therapist in Los Angeles and avid solo traveler.
    Angela Haupt, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Perhaps the clearest influence on the underlying market dynamics will be the extent to which vague but avid expectations for a lighter regulatory touch encourage investors to give stocks a longer leash until details are settled.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • One idea is that about a million years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled and underwent a phase transition, an event similar to how boiling water turns liquid into gas.
    Yasemin Saplakoglu, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2020
  • If candy is still stuck on, pour more boiling water over whatever hasn’t come clean.
    Washington Post, Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019
Adjective
  • The academy has many fervent supporters but also critics.
    Jan Hoffman, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
  • Gibson, Stallone, and Voight have all been fervent Trump supporters.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The song became his biggest hit to date, as demonstrated by its impressive streaming numbers across various platforms and the enthusiastic interaction at live performances.
    Hala Mustafa, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2025
  • But unfortunately, the ones who did speak up with anything other than enthusiastic support from Mr. Hegseth immediately came under extremely volatile attack from everybody from President Trump down to his MAGA base.
    Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • At the end of the day, room could not be found for even Marianne Jean-Baptiste, a past Oscar nominee who swept the major critics awards for her searing turn in Hard Truths, or Angelina Jolie, a past Oscar winner and the A-lister of A-listers, who seemed an early front-runner for the biopic Maria.
    Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Working for New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in California’s 1964 Republican presidential primary, the pair ran a searing campaign against Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, falling just shy of an upset.
    Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The market is very excited about a slight move one way or the other.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Maplewood, Minnesota, Dayton, Ohio, there’s just places across the country where there are going to be hundreds of readers excited about a book release at midnight.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The Pacers are hot — winners of eight of their last 10, a streak that has coincided, in part, with Haliburton’s improvement.
    Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
  • JetBlue in October announced economy passengers would no longer be served hot meals on transatlantic fights.
    Kate Gibson, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near ardent

Cite this Entry

“Ardent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ardent. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ardent

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