fervent
Americanadjective
-
having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent.
a fervent admirer; a fervent plea.
- Synonyms:
- passionate, impassioned, fervid
-
hot; burning; glowing.
adjective
-
intensely passionate; ardent
a fervent desire to change society
-
archaic boiling, burning, or glowing
fervent heat
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fervent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin fervent- (stem of fervēns ) present participle of fervēre “to boil”; see -ent
Explanation
Use fervent to describe a person or thing that shows very strong feelings or enthusiasm. If you have a fervent desire to become an actress, you'll stop at nothing to realize your dream. The adjective fervent and the noun fervor are often associated with the feelings aroused by patriotism, religion, or a belief that you support or oppose. A near synonym for the adjective is ardent. Fervent is from Middle English, from Old French, from the Latin verb fervēre "to boil, glow."
Vocabulary lists containing fervent
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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Grade 10, List 2
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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.
Or would the focus be on the sheer passion of a huge, fervent crowd which lined the streets on Montmartre and around Sacre-Coeur?
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
For one, Intel’s upside partly depends on whether it has enough supply to meet that fervent demand.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
It is our fervent belief that this conversation about the role of the court in the U.S. legal firmament will serve to make the court more durable.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
A nearly 40% slide in shares of Michael Saylor’s bitcoin-hoarding company this year hasn’t fazed its most fervent believers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
The Internet has accomplished what even the most fervent consumer advocates usually cannot: it has vastly shrunk the gap between the experts and the public.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
