Ardent | Definition of ardent by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of ARDENT

1

: characterized by warmth of feeling typically expressed in eager zealous support or activity <ardent proponents of the bill>

2

: fiery, hot <an ardent sun>

3

: shining, glowing <ardent eyes>

— ar·dent·ly adverb

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Examples of ARDENT

These ardent young nationalists, mostly still in their 20s and impatient for freedom, had acquired arms from sympathetic nationalist officers in the Indian army … —Gita Mehta, Vogue, April 1997
In fact, Gorbachev told me, a schoolboy essay he'd written on the virtues of Stalin was considered so ardent and exemplary that “for years thereafter other children were made to read it.” —David Remnick, New Yorker, 18 Nov. 1996
During the fourth century, pagan piety in the upper classes became more elevated, more ardent, and more mystical. —Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993
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Origin of ARDENT

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin ardent-, ardens, present participle of ardēre to burn, from ardor

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ARDENT

Synonyms: fervent, blazing, burning, charged, demonstrative, emotional, fervid, feverish, fiery, flaming, glowing, hot-blooded, impassioned, incandescent, intense, passional, passionate, perfervid, red-hot, religious, superheated, torrid, vehement, warm, warm-blooded

Antonyms: cold, cool, dispassionate, emotionless, impassive, unemotional

Synonym Discussion of ARDENT

impassioned, passionate, ardent, fervent, fervid, perfervid mean showing intense feeling. impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression <an impassioned plea for justice>. passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion <a passionate denunciation>. ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm <an ardent supporter of human rights>. fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal <fervent good wishes>. fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion <fervid love letters>. perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings <perfervid expressions of patriotism>.