Make Your Point: VEHEMENCE

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pronounce VEHEMENCE:

VEE uh munce

connect this word to others:

As I've mentioned before, the Latin word vehere, meaning "to bear, to carry, to draw, or to bring," shows up in English words like vehicle, convex, convection, inveigh ("to attack with words"), and invec____ ("words that attack or abuse").

Vehere also shows up in vehemence, the word we're checking out today, which literally means "a carrying [forcefully]." Let's explore it!

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

"Vehemence" came into English from a French word for "violence or forcefulness," which itself came from a Latin word for "strength or eagerness," based on the Latin vehere, meaning "to carry."

For many centuries in English, we've used "vehemence" to mean "forcefulness: passionate intensity that's carried in someone's words or actions."

In other words, when people act with vehemence, or speak with vehemence, they're forceful and intense, and usually angry.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Noun, the uncountable kind: "She spoke with vehemence;" "He slammed the binder shut with vehemence."

Other forms:

The adjective is "vehement," and the adverb, "vehemently."

how to use it:

Pick the formal, semi-common word "vehemence" to describe the mean, bitter, strong energy that seems to force its way out of someone, especially when it's sudden or surprising.

Talk about the vehemence in someone's voice, face, expression, or posture. Or, say that they do something with vehemence or say something with vehemence.

Or, talk about the vehemence of an entire conversation, fight, debate, campaign, conflict, or controversy.

examples:

"As the jurors argue over the facts with increasing vehemence, doubt arises in the minds of others."
— Michael Sommers, New York Times, 30 March 2012

"Jeffrey P. Bezos has long guarded his personal privacy and that of his businesses with vehemence... His space venture, Blue Origin, once had a rocket crash but didn't report the mishap for days. Visitors to the space company's headquarters have been routinely asked to sign nondisclosure agreements, even if just visiting for a holiday party."
— Craig Timberg, Peter Whoriskey, Christian Davenport and Elizabeth Dwoskin, Washington Post, 8 February 2019

has this page helped you understand "vehemence"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

study it:

Explain the meaning of "vehemence" without saying "angry forcefulness" or "fervency."

try it out:

Fill in the blank: "There was a vehement backlash when (something happened)."

Example 1: "There was a vehement backlash in early 2026 when the makers of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups changed the recipe, rendering the treats chalky and gross."

Example 2: "Eddie [in the show Stranger Things] became so beloved by viewers, there's a vehement backlash after he was offed."
— Alison Stine, Salon, 31 December 2022

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is Subject Line Matching!

Try matching each capitalized term below with the email subject line that I used to introduce it. For an extra challenge, try recalling what each term means and how the subject line connects to it.

Try these today:

ABASE: _____________
ASSAY: _____________
CONDONE: _____________
EXUDE: _____________
PRELUDE: _____________

condon't
First we mine, then we craft
"I woke up in a garbage can this morning, startling someone named Gordon"
that's a mighty fine word you got there
three oozes in a lab coat

To see the correct answers, scroll all the way down.

review this word:

1. The opposite of VEHEMENT could be

A. FINE.
B. CHILL.
C. SCATTERED.

2. An example of a vehement comment on a video would be "_____."

A. your THE. WORST.!!!!
B. song is amazing ❤❤❤❤❤❤
C. He has such an entrancing voice, sounds like a forest at night

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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