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passionate

American  
[pash-uh-nit] / ˈpæʃ ə nɪt /

adjective

  1. having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling; fervid.

    a passionate advocate of socialism.
    Synonyms:
    violent, fiery, burning, glowing, earnest, enthusiastic, warm, fervent, excited, impassioned, ardent, impetuous, impulsive, zealous, emotional, excitable
    Antonyms:
    calm, cool

  2. easily aroused to or influenced by sexual desire; ardently sensual.

  3. expressing, showing, or marked by intense or strong feeling; emotional.

    passionate language.
    Synonyms:
    violent, fiery, burning, glowing, earnest, enthusiastic, warm, fervent, excited, impassioned, ardent
    Antonyms:
    calm, cool

  4. intense or vehement, as emotions or feelings.

    passionate grief.
    Synonyms:
    violent, fiery, burning, glowing, earnest, enthusiastic, warm, fervent, excited, impassioned, ardent
    Antonyms:
    calm, cool

  5. easily moved to anger; quick-tempered; irascible.

    Synonyms:
    hotheaded, fiery, short-tempered, touchy, choleric, testy
    Antonyms:
    calm, cool
passionate British  
/ ˈpæʃənɪt /

adjective

  1. manifesting or exhibiting intense sexual feeling or desire

    a passionate lover

  2. capable of, revealing, or characterized by intense emotion

    a passionate plea

  3. easily roused to anger; quick-tempered

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonpassionate adjective
  • nonpassionateness noun
  • overpassionate adjective
  • overpassionateness noun
  • passionately adverb
  • passionateness noun
  • unpassionate adjective
  • unpassionateness noun

Etymology

Origin of passionate

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin passiōnātus, equivalent to Late Latin passiōn- passion + Latin -ātus -ate 1

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 venues we have are really just so passionate about making sure they put on shows throughout the year," she said.

From BBC

She’s passionate about the people inside the system, making sure every story comes back home to a reader.

From The Wall Street Journal

Natalie got a little giddy thinking she might have met someone as passionate about all this stuff as she was.

From Literature

In a long passionate speech, the good and single doctor explains to her boss why she’s quitting her enviable, high-powered job at his Seattle hospital and relocating to Malibu.

From Salon

But Skarsgård has already had a moment, winning the Golden Globe and giving perhaps the night’s best speech, self-deprecating — talking about how raising eight children taught him how to be a bad father — and passionate.

From Los Angeles Times

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.