VEHEMENT

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vehement mean? 

• VEHEMENT (adjective)
  The adjective VEHEMENT has 2 senses:

1. marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid

2. characterized by great force or energy

  Familiarity information: VEHEMENT used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VEHEMENT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid

Synonyms:

fierce; tearing; trigger-happy; vehement; violent

Context example:

violent passions

Similar:

intense (possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Characterized by great force or energy

Context example:

a vehement defense

Similar:

strong (having strength or power greater than average or expected)

Derivation:

vehemence (the property of being wild or turbulent)

 Context examples 

I would not be too vehement, said Agnes, gently, or propose too much.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She was mortally afraid of being laughed at for surrendering, after her many and vehement declarations of independence.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Look here; to gain some real affection from you, or Miss Temple, or any other whom I truly love, I would willingly submit to have the bone of my arm broken, or to let a bull toss me, or to stand behind a kicking horse, and let it dash its hoof at my chest—Hush, Jane! you think too much of the love of human beings; you are too impulsive, too vehement; the sovereign hand that created your frame, and put life into it, has provided you with other resources than your feeble self, or than creatures feeble as you.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

She was so wretched and so vehement, complained so much of injustice in being expected to go away instead of Anne; Anne, who was nothing to Louisa, while she was her sister, and had the best right to stay in Henrietta's stead!

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits but to an eager desire to learn, and not to learn all things indiscriminately.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

I feared to return to the nursery, and feared to go forward to the parlour; ten minutes I stood in agitated hesitation; the vehement ringing of the breakfast-room bell decided me; I must enter.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)