zest
A feeling of great enjoyment and enthusiasm.
zest in a sentence
- Leo attacked the muddy obstacle course with real zest, laughing the whole way round.
- Gran tackles her crossword with zest every morning, pencil flying and eyes sparkling.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to zest?
- Aeagerness
- Bdullness
- Cboredom
- Dgloom
Show the answer
A: eagerness. The other three mean the opposite of zest.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to zest?
- Ajoy
- Bboredom
- Ceagerness
- Denergy
Show the answer
B: boredom. The other three mean nearly the same as zest.
Words that mean something similar
eagerness, energy, joy
Words that mean the opposite
boredom, gloom, dullness
More words about emotions & feelings
- affectionate: Showing love and fondness in a warm, caring way.
- aghast: Filled with shock and horror.
- agitated: Upset and unable to keep still or calm.
- alleviate: To make pain or trouble less bad.
- anguish: Very great sadness or pain.
- animated: Full of life, energy and excitement.
- anxious: Worried and nervous about what might happen.
- apprehensive: A little scared and worried about something that is coming.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test