zeal
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of zeal
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English zele, from Late Latin zēlus “jealousy, rivalry,” from Greek zêlos
Explanation
Zeal is dedication or enthusiasm for something. If you have zeal, you're willing, energized, and motivated. Zeal is often used in a religious sense, meaning devotion to God or another religious cause, like being a missionary. Zeal doesn't have to be religious, though: a feeling of gusto and enthusiasm for anything can be called zeal. People have zeal for sports teams, bands, causes, and (often, but not always) their jobs. If you have passion for something, you have zeal, which is kind of a mix of eagerness and energy and devotion.
Vocabulary lists containing zeal
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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List 1
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The Things They Carried
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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 a rare GQ profile ahead of his much-anticipated new film, “Digger,” Cruise’s zeal reaches heights even the intrepid actor might think twice about parachuting from.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
Similarly, Mr. Boyne has a fatal tendency to excess zeal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
“His tenacity, his drive, his zeal, his adventure for life. He’s just Naya in boy form,” Previtire said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
However, the 2024 Labour landslide under Sir Keir saw him tackling climate change with a renewed zeal in government, pushing a Green Prosperity Plan to invest in renewables and unlock new jobs and economic growth.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Some carried themselves with a sort of wistful resignation, others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline or good humor or macho zeal.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
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.
