vehement
Americanadjective
-
a vehement defense;
vehement enthusiasm.
- Antonyms:
- dispassionate
-
characterized by rancor or anger; violent.
vehement hostility.
- Antonyms:
- dispassionate
-
strongly emotional; intense or passionate.
vehement desire.
-
marked by great energy or exertion; strenuous.
vehement clapping.
adjective
-
marked by intensity of feeling or conviction; emphatic
-
(of actions, gestures, etc) characterized by great energy, vigour, or force; furious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vehement
First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin vehement-, stem of vehemēns, vēmēns “violent, forceful”; of uncertain derivation
Explanation
You can use the adjective vehement to describe an extremely strong, powerful, or intense emotion or force. The teenager argued for a much later curfew in a vehement speech to her parents; her parents responded with an equally vehement “No way!” Vehement is from Latin and was originally applied to intense natural phenomena: pain, heat, wind, etc. It is now more commonly used for intense emotions or beliefs. With the adverb form, people can be vehemently in favor of something, but the more common usage is for people to be vehemently opposed to something. Many people, for example, are vehemently opposed to politicians they didn't vote for, other people spoiling the endings of movies or books, or someone else taking the last piece of chocolate. The stress is on the first syllable (VEE-uh-ment).
Vocabulary lists containing vehement
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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"The Tell-Tale Heart," Vocabulary from the short story
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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.
Vehement protests followed the Greek government’s attempt to station police officers at four universities.
From New York Times • Oct. 9, 2022
Vehement protest has often marked international economic talks.
From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2017
Vehement opposition from the schools helped kill that proposal.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2016
Vehement passion was, alas, all too common as theories multiplied.
From Slate • Jun. 17, 2014
Vehement adjuration, in a high, strident voice, came floating across to them.
From The Unspeakable Perk by Adams, Samuel Hopkins
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.
