Gusto
n.joyful, energeticplayful
What it means
Lively enthusiasm and vigorous enjoyment shown in doing something.
Reach for it when praising energetic engagement when force and pleasure are both visible
The children sang the final chorus with gusto.
Choose between these
7- playful
informal speech needs extra force and liveliness
not when Oomph is vague and can mean physical power rather than enjoyment.
- everyday
eager positive interest is the main quality
not when Enthusiasm can be verbal or quiet, while gusto appears in vigorous action.
- warm
lively enjoyment gives an activity freshness
not when Zest is lighter and can be sustained without forceful expression.
- professional
active force or pace is the observable fact
not when Energy can be anxious or dutiful and need not include pleasure.
- formal
someone takes marked pleasure in a particular action
not when Relish can sound cruel when the action involves conflict or another person's loss.
- literary
intense passionate feeling suits elevated prose
not when Ardor is more solemn and can sound romantic.
- literary
energetic style and flair define the performance
not when Verve concerns execution more than the person's enjoyment.
Said against
3- apathy
- listlessness
- reluctance
It naturally appears in
3- with gusto
The choir performed the comic finale with gusto and precise timing.
- great gusto
She attacked the restoration with great gusto but paused for expert advice.
- renewed gusto
After the break, the volunteers returned with renewed gusto.
Where this comes from
Gusto should not be used to praise overwhelming volume, rushed work, or disregard for other people's pace.
- Wiktionary, English noun sense: vigorous enjoyment or enthusiasm opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.