zealotry
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of zealotry
Explanation
Zealotry is when someone takes a religious, cultural, or political belief too far, refusing to tolerate other perspectives or conflicting beliefs. People say that zealotry springs not out of faith but doubt. Makes sense. Zealotry is believing so strongly in something that you are completely intolerant of different beliefs or opinions. A government's zealotry might lead it to outlaw free speech and arrest journalists. Zealotry comes from the noun zealot, or "fanatic," which is rooted in the Greek zelotes, "a zealous follower," ultimately from the Greek zelos, "zeal, ardor, or jealousy."
Vocabulary lists containing zealotry
The Amber Spyglass
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Death in the Jungle
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Made You Up
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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.
But in Silicon Valley, Aschenbrenner’s stature has only grown among the elite group of researchers and executives that share his zealotry in a future dominated by AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Yet “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” got close to the truth by tapping into L.A.’s chaotic trifecta of of zealotry, naïveté and cynicism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
And if you’ve worked for men cozying up to the new boss, you’ll recognize the undertones of organizational zealotry in “Severance.”
From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2025
We will all have to live with the catastrophic results of their zealotry.
From New York Times ● May 14, 2022
I couldn’t tell if she was angry or excited—her zealotry managed to cover pretty much all the emotional bases.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
