Vehement Meaning
/ˈviː.ə.mənt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjShowing strong feelings; passionate; forceful or intense.
Sentence Examples
He pronounced his judgment over such vehement behaviour.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The politician made a ____ speech against the new law, shouting and waving his arms.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He made a ____ denial of the accusations, stating that he had nothing to do with several missing files today.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Middle French vehement (modern French véhément; compare Italian veemente, Portuguese veemente, Spanish vehemente); or from Latin vehemēns (“vehement; very eager; ardent, furious, impetuous; emphatic”), probably from vē- (“lacking, too little”) + mēns (“mind; intellect; judgment, reasoning”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Yet the Fiends ſeemed to come nearer and nearer, but when they were come even almoſt at him, he cried out with a moſt vehement voice, I will walk in the ſtrength of the Lord God; ſo they gave back, and came no further."
— 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which is to Come: Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream wherein is Discovered, the Manner of His Setting Out, His Dangerous Journey; and Safe Arrival at the Desired Countrey, London: Printed for Nath[aniel] Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey near Cornhill, →OCLC, page 79:
"Amy shook her head, vehement. "The vine didn't kill them. The Mayans did. They tried to flee and the Mayans shot them. The vine just claimed their bodies once they'd been shot. There's no thought involved in that. No—""
— 2006, Scott [Bechtel] Smith, The Ruins: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 236:
"“He’s a 70-year-old childless warmonger and he has no stake in the future of this country,” Dans said. “He is the very reason that MAGA started in the first place, and we only have to look at 2016 when he was a vehement Trump hater. A leopard doesn’t change its spots.”"
— 2025 July 28, Steve Contorno, quoting Paul Dans, “Project 2025 architect Paul Dans to challenge Lindsey Graham for Senate in South Carolina”, in CNN:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The politician made a ____ speech against the new law, shouting and waving his arms.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He made a ____ denial of the accusations, stating that he had nothing to do with several missing files today.