passionately

American

[pash-uh-nit-lee] / ˈpæʃ ə nɪt li /

adverb

in a way that is driven by intense feeling or strong conviction.

You've written a much-needed book; hats off to you for championing the real issues so passionately.
in a way that channels or expresses ardent sexual desire.

We were soon kissing passionately in the back of the taxi.
with enthusiasm and eagerness; wholeheartedly.

I reserve the right to live passionately, to be a little reckless, and to make a few mistakes, as long as I learn from them.

Other Word Forms

nonpassionately adverb
overpassionately adverb
unpassionately adverb

Etymology

Origin of passionately

passionate ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Prince Harry spoke passionately about his own experiences of becoming a dad - and trying to "upgrade" the parenting he had experienced as a child.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

All of L.A. believed, and official L.A. passionately hoped, that once the war was over and all those smokestacks shut down, the smog would vanish too.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

He spoke passionately about free speech and freedom of expression.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

Mama and I loved each other passionately, and she even sang me to sleep.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

“Matt,” she said passionately, “I love the blue. Thank you.”

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023