zealous
gb/zˈɛləs/ us/zˈɛləs/
C1
English
~ 7300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
very enthusiastic and committed
Feeling and showing very strong, active support for something you care about.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is zealous about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "zealous" with "jealous". "Zealous" means very enthusiastic and active in support of something, while "jealous" means unhappy or upset because someone else has something you want, or might take what you have. Another mistake is using the wrong preposition: in most cases, say "zealous about something" or "zealous in doing something", not *"zealous for do something"*.
Synonyms
enthusiastic (More common and slightly weaker; sounds less formal and less intense than "zealous".)
|
passionate (Emphasizes strong feelings; may suggest emotion more than steady, active effort.)
|
dedicated (Focuses on steady commitment and hard work rather than high emotional energy.)
Antonyms
indifferent (Shows no special interest or care, the opposite of strong enthusiasm.)
|
apathetic (Suggests not only a lack of interest but an almost total lack of feeling.)
Collocations
zealous supporter
|zealous advocate
|zealous campaigner
|zealous volunteer
|zealous about
|zealous pursuit
Themes
emotions
|work
|politics
|religion
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is a zealous advocate for human rights reform.
- The project was driven forward by a small group of zealous volunteers.
- He has always been zealous in his efforts to improve public education.
- Their zealous support helped the new policy gain national attention.
- As a zealous defender of free speech, she often speaks at universities.
Learner examples
- The teacher is zealous about helping her students learn.
- He is a zealous supporter of the local football team.
- They are zealous in their work for the animal shelter.
- My friend is zealous about learning new languages.
- A group of zealous fans waited outside the stadium all night.
unknown
formal
C2
property
2
overly intense or harshly eager
Being so eager to follow or push a rule or idea that it becomes too strong or too strict.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is zealous in [doing something strict]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes do not realize that "zealous" can sound negative in some contexts, especially with words like "prosecutor", "enforcement", or "official". In these cases, it often suggests behavior that is too strict or too aggressive. When you want a clear positive meaning, use it with words like "supporter", "volunteer", or "advocate" and neutral topics.
Synonyms
overzealous (More clearly shows that the behavior is too strong or goes too far; even more negative in tone.)
|
fanatical (Stronger and more emotional; often suggests blind or extreme devotion.)
|
dogmatic (Focuses on rigid belief and unwillingness to change rather than energy or activity.)
Antonyms
lenient (Describes someone who does not punish or enforce rules strictly, the opposite of harsh zeal.)
|
moderate (Suggests balanced, reasonable behavior rather than extreme or excessive action.)
Collocations
zealous prosecutor
|zealous enforcement
|zealous official
|zealous censorship
|zealous policing
Themes
law
|politics
|society
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Some citizens worry about zealous enforcement of the new security laws.
- The zealous prosecutor pushed for the maximum possible sentence in every case.
- Critics argued that the agency's zealous pursuit of minor violations was unfair.
- Zealous censors removed even mild criticism of the government from the film.
- The tax rules were applied by a few zealous officials who refused to show any flexibility.
Learner examples
- People were afraid of the zealous police officer who punished every small mistake.
- Many workers felt that the manager was too zealous in checking their emails.
- The new law led to zealous control of online comments.
- Some students thought the teacher was zealous in giving homework every day.
- The group became zealous in pushing their ideas and did not listen to others.
Grammar
Dictionary form
zealous
IPA
GB/zˈɛləs/
US/zˈɛləs/
Syllables & stress
zeal - ous (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (zeal)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: zealous
Word family
Core family
zeal
noun B2
zealously
adverb
Related words
zealot
noun
Advanced or less common
zealotry
noun
zealousness
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.