passion
C1Neutral to formal in most uses. The romantic/sexual sense is more personal and informal.
Definition
Meaning
A very strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.
1. A strong and barely controllable emotion. 2. An intense desire or enthusiasm for something. 3. A strong romantic or sexual love. 4. The suffering and death of Jesus Christ (in Christian theology). 5. The object of one's strong desire or enthusiasm.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word spans a spectrum from positive, motivating enthusiasm to overwhelming, potentially destructive emotion. It is central to discussions of motivation, art, love, and belief.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage.
Connotations
Largely identical connotations of strong feeling, desire, or dedication.
Frequency
Equally frequent and used in the same range of contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
passion for + NOUN/GERUND (She has a passion for jazz.)passion + OF + NOUN (the passion of his argument)passion + BETWEEN + NOUN (the passion between the lovers)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a crime of passion”
- “passion fruit”
- “with a passion (to a great degree, e.g., 'He hates celery with a passion.')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe employee motivation and entrepreneurial drive. (e.g., 'We hire people with a passion for innovation.')
Academic
Used in literature, art history, and religious studies to describe intense emotion, thematic drive, or the Passion of Christ.
Everyday
Commonly used to describe hobbies, interests, and romantic feelings. (e.g., 'Football is his real passion.')
Technical
In music, a 'Passion' is a setting of the Gospel narrative of Jesus's suffering and death (e.g., Bach's St. Matthew Passion).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- 'Passion' is not used as a verb in modern English. The related verb is 'impassion' (to fill with passion), which is rare.
American English
- 'Passion' is not used as a verb in modern English. The related verb is 'impassion' (to fill with passion), which is rare.
adverb
British English
- passionately (They argued passionately for hours.)
American English
- passionately (They argued passionately for hours.)
adjective
British English
- passionate (He is a passionate advocate for change.)
- impassioned (She made an impassioned plea for help.)
American English
- passionate (He is a passionate advocate for change.)
- impassioned (She made an impassioned plea for help.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She has a passion for chocolate ice cream.
- His passion is playing football with his friends.
- He spoke with great passion about protecting the environment.
- Music has always been her main passion in life.
- The novel explores the destructive passion between the two main characters.
- Her passion for vintage cars led her to start a restoration business.
- The director's passion for social justice is evident in all her films.
- Their initial professional rivalry soon developed into a clandestine passion.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PASS-ION: to get your PASS to your dream job or hobby, you need strong IONs (energy/charge) - that's your PASSION.
Conceptual Metaphor
PASSION IS A FLUID IN A CONTAINER (e.g., 'She was filled with passion.' 'His passion overflowed.') / PASSION IS FIRE (e.g., 'a burning passion', 'the fire of passion').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid overusing 'страсть' for mild interests; 'passion' implies greater intensity. Use 'interest' or 'hobby' where appropriate.
- In religious contexts, 'Passion' translates as 'Страсти' (Христовы).
- The Russian 'пассия' is an archaic borrowing; the modern English word is 'passion'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'passion' for a temporary or mild interest. (Incorrect: 'I have a passion for trying new restaurants.')
- Confusing 'passion' with 'compassion'. 'Compassion' means pity/sympathy.
- Spelling: common misspelling as 'pasion'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'passion' in its religious sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While often positive (e.g., passion for work), it can describe overwhelming, negative, or destructive emotions (e.g., 'a crime of passion', 'jealous passion').
A hobby is a regular activity done for pleasure. A passion is a much stronger, more intense enthusiasm that often feels central to one's identity or purpose.
Yes. It can be countable when referring to specific instances or objects of passion. (e.g., 'Gardening and jazz are his two great passions.')
The main adjective is 'passionate'. 'Impassioned' is also used, typically to describe speech or expression filled with passion.
Collections
Part of a collection
Personality Traits
B1 · 36 words · Describing character and personal qualities.