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.
The US Army is investigating an incident in which two Apache attack helicopters flew near the Tennessee home of musician Kid Rock, an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, a military spokesman said Tuesday.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
As Hyllus, the son of Hercules and Dejanira, David Portillo was similarly impressive, his bright, easy tenor and excellent diction assets in his ardent filial devotion and wooing of Iole.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
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
Of the five of them, Ruby was the most ardent, and the most prone to boredom.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
