ardent
Americanadjective
-
having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent.
an ardent vow;
ardent love.
- Synonyms:
- impassioned, eager, fervid
-
intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; zealous.
an ardent theatergoer;
an ardent student of French history.
-
fiercely bright; glowing like fire.
They were frightened by his ardent, burning eyes.
-
Archaic or Literary. burning, fiery, or hot.
the ardent core of a star.
adjective
-
expressive of or characterized by intense desire or emotion; passionate
ardent love
-
intensely enthusiastic; eager
an ardent longing
-
glowing, flashing, or shining
ardent eyes
-
rare burning
an ardent fever
Other Word Forms
- ardency noun
- ardently adverb
- ardentness noun
Etymology
Origin of ardent
First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin ārdent- (stem of ārdēns, present participle of ārdēre “to burn”), equivalent to ārd- “burn” + -ent- noun and adjective suffix ( -ent ), replacing Middle English ardant, from Middle French
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.
Yet, watching the film all these years later, its ardent message of persistence is somehow all the more powerful.
From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026
Payne, an ardent death penalty supporter, has been frustrated by Arizona’s inability to pick up the pace of executions.
From Slate • Feb. 24, 2026
He is wildly popular both stateside and abroad, a commercial golden goose who is critically acclaimed and commands legions of ardent fans.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
So ardent that he suggests that the movie somehow incorporate an adaptation of one of her novels, the screenplay to be written by Mira herself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026
Indeed, had not Madison been the most ardent advocate at the Constitutional Convention for a clear assertion of federal sovereignty?
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
