zeal
gb/zˈil/ us/zˈil/
B2
English
~ 3300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
Strong enthusiasm or passion
A lot of energy and excitement for a goal or activity.
Usage pattern:
zeal for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'zeal' with 'seal' because they sound similar, but 'seal' is an animal or a stamp, not enthusiasm.
Synonyms
enthusiasm (A general word for strong excitement or interest; less intense than zeal.)
|
passion (Strong emotion and dedication; can be broader than zeal.)
Antonyms
apathy (Lack of interest or enthusiasm; the opposite emotional state of zeal.)
|
indifference (Not caring about something; the opposite of being eager or passionate.)
Collocations
religious zeal
|zeal for justice
|with zeal
|political zeal
|missionary zeal
Themes
emotions
|motivation
|personality
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She approached her studies with great zeal.
- His zeal for helping others inspired the whole community.
- The volunteers worked with zeal to finish the project on time.
- Political zeal can sometimes cloud objective judgment.
- Her zeal for environmental protection led her to start a local recycling program.
Learner examples
- He works with great zeal.
- She has zeal for learning English.
- They showed zeal in the game.
- We need zeal to finish this job.
- The team played with zeal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
zeal
IPA
GB/zˈil/
US/zˈil/
Syllables & stress
zeal (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (zeal)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: zeal
- Plural: zeal
Word family
Core family
zealous
adjective C1
zealously
adverb
Related words
zealot
noun
Negative and opposite forms
overzealous
adjective
Advanced or less common
zealotry
noun
Expressions
religious zeal
1/ɹɪlˈɪd͡ʒəs zˈil/
fixed phrase
Passion for religious beliefs
A lot of energy and excitement about religion or faith.
Examples
- The group was known for its religious zeal.
- Her religious zeal led her to volunteer at the church every week.
zeal for life
2/zˈil fɚ lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Great enthusiasm for living fully
A lot of energy and excitement about living and enjoying life.
Examples
- Even in her old age, she had a remarkable zeal for life.
- His travels reflect his zeal for life and adventure.
missionary zeal
1/mˈɪʃənˌɛɹi zˈil/
fixed phrase
Intense enthusiasm to spread beliefs
Very strong and serious energy to make other people accept your ideas or beliefs.
Examples
- He spoke about the project with missionary zeal.
- She attacked her new job with missionary zeal.
- The teacher's missionary zeal inspired her students to care about the environment.
- He spoke about climate change with missionary zeal.
- The group campaigned for reform with missionary zeal.