vehemence
gb/vˈiəməns/ us/vˈiəməns/
C1
English
~ 8500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
property
1
strong, passionate intensity of feeling
Very strong and forceful feeling or way of speaking, especially when someone is angry or excited.
Usage pattern:
the vehemence of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "vehemence" with "violence". "Vehemence" usually describes very strong emotions or way of speaking, while "violence" usually involves physical harm. Another mistake is using the wrong preposition: we normally say "with vehemence" or "the vehemence of his reply", not *"in vehemence" or *"vehemence of he reply".
Synonyms
intensity (More general; can describe many kinds of strength, not only emotional or expressive force.)
|
fervor (Suggests warm, eager, often positive passion; vehemence can sound more harsh or aggressive.)
Antonyms
calmness (Lack of strong outward emotion or excitement, the opposite of heated, forceful feeling.)
Collocations
the vehemence of his denial
|with surprising vehemence
|the vehemence of her response
|political vehemence
|argue with vehemence
|the vehemence of his anger
Themes
emotions
|communication
|conflict
|personality
Examples
- She was taken aback by the vehemence of his refusal.
- The vehemence of their argument made everyone else in the office uncomfortable.
- I did not expect such vehemence in her reply to a simple question.
- The commentator spoke with vehemence about government corruption.
- Online discussions often show more vehemence than careful thought.
Learner examples
- I was shocked by the vehemence of his anger.
- She spoke with vehemence about the problem at work.
- The vehemence of their fight scared the children.
- His vehemence in the meeting made everyone very tense.
Noun
formal
C2
property
2
great force or energy of action
Very strong and sometimes aggressive force in an action, such as an attack, protest, or criticism.
Usage pattern:
the vehemence of [an action or attack]
Common mistake:
Learners may use only "strong" or "big" instead of more precise words like "vehemence" or "intensity" in formal writing. Also, remember that "vehemence" is uncountable in this sense, so say "the vehemence of the attack", not *"a vehemence".
Synonyms
forcefulness (Neutral word for strong impact or effort; vehemence often hints at harshness or excess.)
|
ferocity (Stronger and more physical; often suggests savagery or brutality more than vehemence does.)
Antonyms
mildness (Describes actions or responses that are gentle and not strong or aggressive.)
Collocations
the vehemence of the attack
|the vehemence of the protests
|the vehemence of opposition
|criticize with vehemence
|the vehemence of their campaign
Themes
conflict
|violence
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The vehemence of the attack caught the soldiers off guard.
- Officials were surprised by the vehemence of the public protests.
- The vehemence of her criticism left the committee stunned.
- Opposition parties increased the vehemence of their campaign as the election neared.
Learner examples
- The vehemence of the crowd’s protest scared the police.
- We were shocked by the vehemence of the online attack on the company.
- The vehemence of his criticism hurt her feelings.
- The vehemence of their campaign changed many people’s minds.
Noun
formal
C2
event
3
intense force of natural elements
Very strong and sometimes violent power of nature, like a storm, wind, or waves.
Usage pattern:
the vehemence of [a natural force]
Common mistake:
Learners often use only basic words like "strong" or "big" for storms. "Vehemence" is more formal and is mainly used in writing to give a vivid picture of how powerful a natural force is.
Synonyms
violence (In this context, emphasizes the destructive power of nature; vehemence can sound slightly more literary or descriptive.)
Antonyms
gentleness (Refers to soft, weak, or calm natural conditions, the opposite of strong, violent forces.)
Collocations
the vehemence of the storm
|the vehemence of the wind
|the vehemence of the waves
|the vehemence of the eruption
Themes
nature
|weather
Examples
- The sailors were not prepared for the vehemence of the storm.
- We watched from the window as the vehemence of the wind bent the trees almost to the ground.
- The vehemence of the waves made it impossible for rescue boats to approach.
- Residents were shocked by the vehemence of the eruption, which exceeded all predictions.
Learner examples
- The vehemence of the storm broke many windows.
- They feared the vehemence of the wind on the small boat.
- The vehemence of the waves kept the beach empty.
- The vehemence of the rain flooded the streets.
Grammar
Dictionary form
vehemence
IPA
GB/vˈiəməns/
US/vˈiəməns/
Syllables & stress
vehe - mence (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (vehe)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: vehemence
- Plural: vehemence
Word family
Core family
vehement
adjective C1
vehemently
adverb C1
Expressions
the vehemence of
1/ðə vˈiəməns əv/
fixed phrase
formal
the great intensity of something
Used to talk about how strong or powerful something is, such as a feeling, attack, or storm.
Examples
- The vehemence of his reaction surprised everyone in the room.
- Scientists were alarmed by the vehemence of the recent heatwaves.
- The vehemence of their opposition delayed the project for years.
with vehemence
1/wˈɪθ vˈiəməns/
fixed phrase
formal
in a very forceful way
In a very strong and forceful way, showing a lot of feeling or energy.
Examples
- He denied the accusation with vehemence.
- The union leaders spoke with vehemence about the new law.
- She argued with vehemence that the policy was unfair.