passionate

adjective

pas·​sion·​ate ˈpa-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce passionate (audio)
Synonyms of passionate
1
a
: capable of, affected by, or expressing intense feeling
a passionate performance
a passionate coach
b
: enthusiastic, ardent
is passionate about basketball
2
: swayed by or affected with sexual desire and often romantic feeling
a passionate love affair
a long, passionate kiss
3
a
: easily aroused to anger
… a passionate but not a vicious boy …—H. E. Scudder
b
: filled with anger : angry
She was passionate in her defense of her cub, and rage transformed her.—G. D. Brown
passionateness noun

Synonyms of passionate

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impassioned, passionate, ardent, fervent, fervid, perfervid mean showing intense feeling.

impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression.

an impassioned plea for justice

passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion.

a passionate denunciation

ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm.

an ardent supporter of human rights

fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal.

fervent good wishes

fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion.

fervid love letters

perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings.

perfervid expressions of patriotism

Examples of passionate in a Sentence

He gave a passionate speech on tax reform. She has a passionate interest in animal rights. She is passionate about art. We were moved by his passionate plea for forgiveness.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Coleman, who is married to an immigrant, dispelled any myths that his passionate testimony was racist, anti-immigrant or politically motivated. — Nicole Russell, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 While the Underworld movies were critically panned, the films have a passionate fanbase and the first two were box office hits. — Sabienna Bowman, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026 Over the last six months of development, Carla has certainly proved to be a passionate writer and producer. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026 Three decades removed, Westwood is still a cinematic ghost town that passionate film lovers are trying to revive. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for passionate

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of passionate was in the 15th century

Rhymes for passionate

See All Rhymes for passionate

Browse Nearby Words

passionary
passionate
passionately
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Cite this Entry

“Passionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passionate. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

passionate

adjective
pas·​sion·​ate ˈpash-(ə-)nət How to pronounce passionate (audio)
1
: excited or easily excited to strong feeling
2
: showing or expressing strong feeling
3
: strongly affected with sexual desire
passionately adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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