vehement

[ vee-uh-muhnt ]

adjective

1. zealous; ardent; impassioned:

   a vehement defense;

   vehement enthusiasm.

   Synonyms: burning, fervid, fervent, earnest, fiery

   Antonyms: dispassionate

2. characterized by rancor or anger; violent:

   vehement hostility.

   Antonyms: dispassionate

3. strongly emotional; intense or passionate:

   vehement desire.

4. marked by great energy or exertion; strenuous:

   vehement clapping.

vehement

/ ˈviːɪmənt /

adjective

1. marked by intensity of feeling or conviction; emphatic
2. (of actions, gestures, etc) characterized by great energy, vigour, or force; furious

Derived Forms

• ˈvehemence, noun
• ˈvehemently, adverb

Other Words From

• ve·he·ment·ly adverb
• non·ve·he·ment adjective
• o·ver·ve·he·ment adjective
• un·ve·he·ment adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vehement¹

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin vehement-, stem of vehemēns, vēmēns “violent, forceful”; of uncertain derivation

Word History and Origins

Origin of vehement¹

C15: from Latin vehemēns ardent; related to vehere to carry

Example Sentences

After Goldstein’s report, the state — over vehement protests by the Lockes and others — established a new regulatory agency, the New York State Cemetery Board.

From ProPublica

The organization faced a PR crisis in November, when former team member Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng shared vehement criticisms of the team and its CEO, Andy “Reginald” Dinh.

From Digiday

Anti-choice ideologue Glenn Youngkin, the GOP nominee for governor in Virginia, has made clear his vehement opposition to Roe.

From Washington Post

Carlson has mastered the Trumpian mathematics of outrage—the more outlandish his rhetoric, the more vehement the backlash, the more formidable he becomes.

From Time

He wasn’t out-and-out fired, but there’s little question that his departure was the result that Times management wanted, after all the vehement staff objections and the public criticism.

From Washington Post

My vehement dislike for the accoutrement stems back to 1982 when I was asked to wear pink roses in my hair to a family wedding.

From The Daily Beast

The ire Friedberg and Seltzer have drawn from crowds is both boisterous and vehement–Airplane!

From The Daily Beast

“I was pretty vehement in my opposition to the war,” says Forsyth.

From The Daily Beast

Our vehement prejudices leave us no patience for his appeal to radical humanism.

From The Daily Beast

I thought the reactions would be much more vehement, but the reaction is pretty mixed about her.

From The Daily Beast

Bahadur Shah held out against the vehement urging of his daughter aided now by the counsel of her brothers.

From Project Gutenberg

His largesses were abundant, and the uproar of vehement thanksgiving, was ever on the watch from the venal multitude.

From Project Gutenberg

The intense yearning in his heart threatened any minute to burst forth in vehement speech, almost in action.

From Project Gutenberg

Still the vehement voices of the brown fellahîn at work by the shadûf rose unwearied along the Nile.

From Project Gutenberg

On him, it is said, the King turned with vehement indignation, charging him even with treason and double-dealing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• angry
• ardent
• emphatic
• enthusiastic
• fervent
• fierce
• forceful
• furious
• heated
• impassioned
• potent
• rabid
• violent
• zealous