passionate
Americanadjective
-
having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling; fervid.
a passionate advocate of socialism.
-
easily aroused to or influenced by sexual desire; ardently sensual.
-
expressing, showing, or marked by intense or strong feeling; emotional.
passionate language.
-
intense or vehement, as emotions or feelings.
passionate grief.
-
easily moved to anger; quick-tempered; irascible.
adjective
-
manifesting or exhibiting intense sexual feeling or desire
a passionate lover
-
capable of, revealing, or characterized by intense emotion
a passionate plea
-
easily roused to anger; quick-tempered
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
Explanation
Something that is passionate packs emotion, and possibly romantic emotion. A passionate plea will tug on your heartstrings and a passionate kiss will sweep you off your feet. If you want to stay unmoved, stay away from the passionate. If you're passionate about soccer, you can't get enough of it — you've got soccer pennants plastered on your walls, your TV is permanently tuned to the soccer channel, and you probably wear soccer jerseys under your button-down shirt. Passion can also come from intense feelings of love for a person. Be careful — you could be swept up in "a passionate embrace."
Vocabulary lists containing passionate
Positive Adjectives to Describe People
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Tuesdays with Morrie
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Modern versions of retro staples like a portable cassette player and a vinyl display cabinet hit the perfect note for a passionate spinner.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Meera Varma is a nationally recognized mental health activist who became passionate about youth mental health after enduring her own struggles in high school, according to a 2022 L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
After a passionate and thoughtful debate, 314 MPs backed the bill – 291 voted against.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
The story goes that Ethel's family encouraged her to take restorative walks, and she became passionate about the countryside.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
“You and Immie were lucky the uniforms changed. Did you do music at Greenbriar? You sounded so passionate about Gershwin the other day.”
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
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.
