Zeal Meaning, Sentence Examples and Zeal vs Zest

Zeal means strong enthusiasm and eager effort for a goal, cause or activity. It is a noun. Someone who studies with zeal brings energy and commitment to learning; zeal does not guarantee success.

Pronunciation: /ziːl/ — one syllable, rhyming with feel. Spell it z-e-a-l.

Examples · How to use it · Zeal or zest? · Synonyms and opposites · Quick quiz

Zeal in a sentence: examples with explanations

• Meera approached her English lessons with zeal. She was eager to learn and put energy into the lessons.
• The volunteers showed great zeal for restoring the library. They were strongly enthusiastic about the project.
• His zeal to finish the model led him to skip an important check. His eagerness had an unhelpful result here.
• After the setback, the team returned to practice with renewed zeal. Their enthusiasm became strong again.

How to use zeal

With zeal describes how someone acts. Zeal for + noun or -ing form names the interest: “zeal for music” or “zeal for helping others”. Zeal to + verb focuses on an aim: “her zeal to learn”.

Zeal is normally uncountable in everyday use: “She showed zeal.” You can also describe “a zeal for learning”. Avoid adding -s merely because several people are enthusiastic. Great zeal means a high degree of enthusiasm; it does not necessarily praise the result.

Zeal versus zest: what is the difference?

These words overlap. Zeal often emphasises energetic commitment to a purpose. Zest often emphasises lively enjoyment. Compare “her zeal for improving the school” with “her zest for life”. The difference is a useful emphasis, not a rule that makes the words opposites.

Zeal and zest suggests enthusiasm together with lively energy. Zest also means the coloured outer skin of citrus fruit used in cooking; zeal has no such food meaning.

Synonyms and opposites

Close alternatives: enthusiasm, eagerness, fervour and passion. Choose the word that fits the sentence; they are not interchangeable in every context.

Contrasting ideas: apathy, indifference and lack of enthusiasm. Passion and enthusiasm describe similar feelings rather than opposites.

Word origin

English zeal developed from Middle English zele, ultimately through Late Latin zelus from Greek zēlos.

Practise zeal: three quick questions

Choose an answer before opening the explanation.

Question 1

“The learners worked with zeal.” Were they enthusiastic or indifferent?

Question 2

Which word contrasts with zeal: enthusiasm, eagerness or apathy?

Question 3

Choose the natural pattern: “her zeal for learning” or “her zeal of learn”?

Try your own sentence

Name a goal you care about. Write one sentence using with zeal or zeal for, then explain what the person actually does.

Keep learning

Compare alacrity, explore pull out all the stops, and review countable and uncountable nouns.

References: Cambridge: zeal, Cambridge: zest and Merriam-Webster: zeal. The examples and practice questions above are original.

Illustrations and pronunciation video