impassioned
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of impassioned
Explanation
If something is impassioned it's filled with or demonstrating intense emotion. Anything can be impassioned — speech, a play, a conversation, a novel, or even you. Impassioned comes from the Latin word passionem, meaning "suffering or enduring," and originally referred to the suffering of Christ on the cross, known as "The Passion." In other words, impassioned had a sense of trauma and anguish associated with it and only later did it come to describe happier feelings as well. Whatever the emotional feeling behind impassioned, it's still a word that suggests profound feeling and sincerity on behalf of the user.
Vocabulary lists containing impassioned
All Worked Up: Synonyms for "Emotional"
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Just Mercy
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
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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.
With exhilarating charisma, stage energy and impassioned lyrics, Senegalese musician Sahad has created a unique body of work from a kaleidoscope of influences, culminating in his new pan-African album.
From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026
Lizzie Magie was an impassioned follower of Henry George, a popular political economist and author of the bestselling book, “Progress and Poverty.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
But there was one moment during the performance that stuck with me, when Bad Bunny gave an impassioned motivational speech in Spanish, urging the audience to recognize their worth.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
But in an impassioned opening statement, defence counsel Ellen Holager Andenæs said he had already been subjected to prejudicial treatment from the media.
From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026
He recalled the speech Max had made in court and remembered with gratitude the kind, impassioned tone.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
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.
