ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.
the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded
enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.
never showed much enthusiasm for sports
zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.
preaches with fanatical zeal
Example Sentences
As Nina has grown more observant, Andras has become distanced from her. Her religious fervor doesn't interest him. Coming to tradition late, Nina has all the pedantry of an autodidact. Her strivings seem inauthentic to Andras, and not at all spiritual. Allegra Goodman, Kaaterskill Falls, 1998Certainly being the son of a pastor had contributed to Vincent's religiosity, but in time even his father was disturbed by the growing intensity of his son's fervor. Michael Kimmelman, New York Times Book Review, 12 Aug. 1990In her renewed fervor, Norma fears that the past decade has turned women inward, away from one another, and away, too, from the notion that solidarity among women is ultimately a source of personal strength. Anita Shreve, New York Times Magazine, 6 July 1986Reciting, her voice took on resonance and firmness, it rang with the old fervor, with ferocity even. Eudora Welty, One Writer's Beginnings, 1983 The fervor surrounding her campaign continued right through election day. The novel captures the revolutionary fervor of the period. See More
Recent Examples on the WebIn his letter to the blogger, Mr. Yamagami likened his single-minded fervor in making guns to the devotion of church members who committed their lives to the Rev. Moon. Miho Inada, WSJ, 29 July 2022 On one day last week, Republican governor candidate Darren Bailey of Xenia spoke at an event sponsored by Awake Illinois, an organization rooted in the suburbs and born from the anti-mask, anti-vaccine fervor of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2022 Throughout You Still Here, Ho?, the 22-year-old mainly raps with the fervor of someone who’s always had to defend themselves.ELLE, 11 Aug. 2022 Such nationalistic fervor has been on the rise in recent years, much of it propelled by President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2022 Bonds also have sidestepped much of the speculative fervor of late. Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 30 Jan. 2022 The defeat of Nazi Germany is celebrated each year on May 9, Victory Day, a Russian holiday of national remembrance marked by much pomp and patriotic fervor. Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2022 The clamor is reminiscent of the speculative fervor that cascaded over markets in 2020 and 2021, when millions of Americans got hooked on trading stocks, options and cryptocurrencies. Caitlin Mccabe, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2022 When such extreme steps did not materialize, with China instead announcing the military drills and issuing a series of condemnations, nationalist fervor turned to shame. Vivian Wang, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English fervour, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French fervur, from Latin fervor, from fervēre — see fervent