fervent
Americanadjective
-
having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent.
a fervent admirer; a fervent plea.
- Synonyms:
- passionate, impassioned, fervid
-
hot; burning; glowing.
adjective
-
intensely passionate; ardent
a fervent desire to change society
-
archaic boiling, burning, or glowing
fervent heat
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of fervent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin fervent- (stem of fervēns ) present participle of fervēre “to boil”; see -ent
Explanation
Use fervent to describe a person or thing that shows very strong feelings or enthusiasm. If you have a fervent desire to become an actress, you'll stop at nothing to realize your dream. The adjective fervent and the noun fervor are often associated with the feelings aroused by patriotism, religion, or a belief that you support or oppose. A near synonym for the adjective is ardent. Fervent is from Middle English, from Old French, from the Latin verb fervēre "to boil, glow."
Vocabulary lists containing fervent
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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Grade 10, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Other large asset managers have made similar requests, along with fervent interest from individual investors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Given a blank check, Fennell brings the world of Brontë’s novel to life — not with staggering realism, as so many other adaptations have, but with fervent fantasy.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
"It'll have to be the will of God. I'm a very fervent believer that when God wants something, he does it… If it is what God wants, no man can stop it."
From BBC • May 17, 2026
It’s a sign of investors’ fervent interest in the chip sector.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
Growing up in an era of ecstatic religious feeling, brought up by a fervent father and superstitious mother, the youngest Fox sisters may have been susceptible to the notion of spirits.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
