Fervent Meaning: Fervently, Examples and Practice Quiz

Fervent (adjective). Fervent describes strong, deeply felt enthusiasm, belief or emotion. A fervent supporter cares intensely about a cause or person; a fervent hope is a hope someone feels very strongly.

Example: The students made a fervent appeal to keep their community library open.

Pronunciation guide: FUR-vuhnt. Capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Explore the usage · Try the three-question quiz · Keep learning

Fervent hope, prayer and supporter

• A fervent hope: a deeply felt wish that something will happen.
• A fervent prayer: a prayer expressed with strong, sincere feeling.
• A fervent supporter: someone who supports a person, group or cause with great enthusiasm.
• A fervent appeal: an earnest request made with strong emotion.

The word can describe religious feeling, but its use is much broader. A sports supporter, a campaigner or a reader defending a favourite book can also be fervent.

What does fervently mean?

Fervently is the adverb. It describes how someone hopes, believes, speaks or acts: “She fervently hoped that the concert would go ahead.”

Compare “a fervent belief” with “They believed fervently in the project.” The adjective describes belief; the adverb describes believed.

Related nouns include fervour in British English, fervor in American English, and fervency. They name the intensity of feeling rather than the person who feels it.

Fervent in a sentence

• He remained a fervent admirer of the writer’s work.
• It was her fervent hope that the two friends would reconcile.
• The volunteers offered a fervent defence of the neighbourhood garden.
• “Please let the letter arrive today,” she wished fervently.

These sentences show intensity through the feeling or action. You can strengthen your own example by explaining what the person cares about.

Fervent, passionate and enthusiastic

Passionate and enthusiastic overlap with fervent. Fervent often emphasises earnest, sustained feeling. Passionate is also used for many kinds of strong emotion and is not limited to romance.

A fervent belief is strongly held; the adjective does not prove that the belief is true or that the cause is beneficial. Context tells the reader whether the speaker approves.

Possible contrasts include indifferent, apathetic and lukewarm. Choose according to the noun: a “lukewarm response” suggests limited enthusiasm.

Word origin

The word came through French and Latin forms connected with boiling or heat. It also has an older literal sense of very hot. In most everyday learner examples, however, the “heat” is the intensity of someone’s feelings.

Practise fervent: three quick questions

Try each question before opening its answer. If a question asks you to write a sentence, your own correct example is welcome.

Question 1

Does fervent apply only to religious beliefs?

Question 2

Complete: “We ___ hoped the team would return.” Choose fervent or fervently.

Question 3

Rewrite “a hope that she felt very strongly” using fervent.

Keep learning

Compare these words next: Audacious meaning and practice and Solace meaning and practice.

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Dictionary reference: Merriam-Webster: Fervent. The examples and practice questions on this page are written for English Skill Studio.