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Zest

n. joyful, energetic warm

What it means

Meaning 1

Eager enjoyment and lively interest.

Reach for it when praising engaged enthusiasm for an activity or life

She approached the new course with real zest.

Meaning 2

The fragrant colored outer peel of a citrus fruit, used to add flavor.

Reach for it when naming the culinary ingredient rather than citrus juice or bitter white pith

Orange zest brightened the warm grain salad.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom, and by meaning across. Tap a word to see when it fits.
Meaning 1Meaning 2
playful
everyday
warm
professional
literary

Meaning 1: Eager enjoyment and lively interest.

  • playful

    gusto

    Fits when vigorous enjoyment is visible in how something is done

    Careful Gusto is more boisterous and can overwhelm a quiet form of zest.

  • warm

    enthusiasm

    Fits when eager positive interest is the main quality

    Careful Enthusiasm can be expressed briefly, while zest suggests lively enjoyment in the activity.

  • literary

    appetite

    Fits when desire for experience can be expressed metaphorically

    Careful Appetite can sound acquisitive and does not guarantee joyful engagement.

  • literary

    verve

    Fits when style and energetic flair deserve praise

    Careful Verve concerns spirited execution, not the underlying enjoyment itself.

Meaning 2: The fragrant colored outer peel of a citrus fruit, used to add flavor.

  • playful

    citrus shavings

    Fits when the physical cut should be described visually

    Careful Shavings can be thicker than zest and may include bitter pith.

  • everyday

    citrus peel

    Fits when the ingredient needs a clear general name

    Careful Citrus peel includes bitter white pith and larger strips, not only zest.

  • everyday

    rind

    Fits when the whole outer covering is meant

    Careful Rind is broader and can include pith or non-citrus fruit covering.

  • professional

    flavedo

    Fits when the colored outer citrus layer is meant botanically

    Careful Flavedo is technical and not a natural recipe substitute for zest.

Opposites 4

  • apathy
  • listlessness
  • pith
  • juice

Common phrases 4

  • zest for life

    Her zest for life included quiet mornings as well as crowded dances.

  • with zest

    The students tackled the restoration with zest and patient supervision.

  • lemon zest

    Fresh lemon zest lifted the bean stew without more salt.

  • finely grated zest

    Finely grated zest released the orange's aroma through the cake.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated