Ask Difference

Fancy vs. Passion — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on October 1, 2023
Fancy refers to a liking or imaginative conception, often not based on reason, while passion is an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.
Fancy vs. Passion — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Fancy and Passion

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Key Differences

Fancy and passion, both refer to human feelings and preferences, but they differ significantly in depth and intensity. Fancy generally refers to a liking, preference, or superficial desire, often characterized by whimsical or imaginative thought. It could be fleeting and not deeply rooted, illustrating a transient inclination or preference for something appealing or attractive. Fancy can be reflective of a momentary whim or a transient attraction, often not backed by serious consideration or deep conviction.
Passion, conversely, denotes a much deeper, more intense emotion or desire. It implies a strong, overwhelming feeling or a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something. Passion is characterized by its depth and fervor, representing a profound, consuming emotion that can drive actions, decisions, and pursuits. It is often associated with a strong commitment and a relentless pursuit of goals, reflecting a profound connection and intense emotion towards the object of passion.
While fancy is often more about imagination and transient desires, passion is about intensity and enduring cravings. Fancy can be whimsical and not necessarily based on reason or logic, possibly representing a fleeting attraction or a sudden whim. It is lighter, more capricious, and can change rapidly, indicating a lack of serious attachment or commitment.
On the contrary, passion is steadfast and deeply rooted, reflecting a powerful attachment or a strong, enduring desire. It is an intense emotion that can influence thoughts, actions, and decisions, driving individuals to pursue their passions with zeal and determination. Passion often involves a deep connection and a strong, unwavering commitment to the pursued object, goal, or activity, reflecting a level of intensity and dedication not seen in mere fancy.
In essence, the distinction between fancy and passion lies in their depth, intensity, and permanence. Fancy is more about fleeting, superficial desires and imaginative conceptions, while passion represents deep, intense emotions and enduring, compelling desires, often driving actions and pursuits with fervor and commitment.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

A liking or imaginative conception
An intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction

Intensity

Often superficial and fleeting
Deep, intense, and consuming

Basis

Can be whimsical and not based on reason
Often deeply rooted and enduring

Reflects

Transient inclination or attraction
Profound connection and strong commitment

Influence

Can change rapidly without serious attachment
Drives actions, decisions, and pursuits with zeal

Compare with Definitions

Fancy

Fancy represents a transient inclination or attraction.
His fancy for fast cars cost him a fortune.

Passion

Passion is an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.
He pursued his passion for music against all odds.

Fancy

Fancy is often fleeting and can change rapidly.
His fancy for exotic foods took him to various culinary adventures.

Passion

Passion represents a profound connection and strong commitment.
Her passion for environmental conservation led her to establish a non-profit organization.

Fancy

Highly decorated
A fancy hat.

Passion

Passion is often deeply rooted and enduring.
His passion for justice motivated him to become a lawyer.

Fancy

Complex or intricate
The fancy footwork of a figure skater.

Passion

Passion reflects a level of intensity and dedication not seen in mere fancy.
With passion and determination, he trained relentlessly to become a champion.

Fancy

Elegantly fashionable or sophisticated
A fancy restaurant.
A fancy way of asking for a loan.

Passion

Strong and barely controllable emotion
A man of impetuous passion

Fancy

Of superior grade; fine
Fancy preserves.

Passion

The suffering and death of Jesus
Meditations on the Passion of Christ

Fancy

Excessive or exorbitant
Paid a fancy price for the car.

Passion

Strong or powerful emotion
A crime of passion.

Fancy

Bred for unusual qualities or special points.

Passion

A powerful emotion, such as anger or joy
A spirit governed by intense passions.

Fancy

The mental faculty through which whims, visions, and fantasies are summoned up; imagination, especially of a whimsical or fantastic nature.

Passion

A state of strong sexual desire or love
"His desire flared into a passion he could no longer check" (Barbara Taylor Bradford).

Fancy

Something imagined or invented by the mind
"As the fancies that kept crowding in upon him only made him more excited, he got out of bed and tried to think." (Sherwood Anderson).

Passion

The object of such desire or love
She became his passion.

Fancy

A capricious liking or inclination
I have a fancy for a glass of wine.

Passion

Boundless enthusiasm
His skills as a player don't quite match his passion for the game.

Fancy

A romantic liking or interest
She's taken a fancy to you.

Passion

The object of such enthusiasm
Soccer is her passion.

Fancy

The enthusiasts or fans of a sport or pursuit considered as a group.

Passion

An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger
He's been known to fly into a passion without warning.

Fancy

The sport or pursuit, such as boxing, engaging the interest of such a group.

Passion

The sufferings of Jesus in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion, as related in the New Testament.

Fancy

To have a liking or enthusiasm for
Fancies sports cars.

Passion

A narrative, musical setting, or pictorial representation of Jesus's sufferings.

Fancy

To have a desire or inclination for
Would you fancy a cup of coffee?.

Passion

Martyrdom
The passion of Saint Margaret.

Fancy

To take a romantic interest in (someone)
Do you think he fancies her?.

Passion

A true desire sustained or prolonged.

Fancy

To imagine or suppose
"I fancy she is an exceedingly proud woman" (Jane Austen).

Passion

Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.
We share a passion for books.

Fancy

The imagination.

Passion

Fervor, determination.

Fancy

An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.

Passion

An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.
It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion.

Fancy

An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.

Passion

Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.
We shared a night of passion.

Fancy

A whim.
I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.

Passion

The suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.

Fancy

Love or amorous attachment.
He took a fancy to her.

Passion

A display, musical composition, or play meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.

Fancy

The object of inclination or liking.

Passion

(obsolete) Suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.
A cardiac passion

Fancy

Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.
The cat fancy

Passion

(obsolete) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition

Fancy

The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.

Passion

(obsolete) The capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

Fancy

A diamond with a distinctive colour.

Passion

(obsolete) An innate attribute, property, or quality of a thing.
[...] to obtain the knowledge of some passion of the circle.

Fancy

That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.

Passion

(obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.

Fancy

A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.
A French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies

Passion

(obsolete) To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.

Fancy

(obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.

Passion

(transitive) To give a passionate character to.

Fancy

In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).

Passion

A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross.
To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs.

Fancy

Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones.
This is a fancy shawl.

Passion

The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; - opposed to action.
A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and, when set in motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it.

Fancy

Of a superior grade.
This box contains bottles of the fancy grade of jelly.

Passion

Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
Moldable and not moldable, scissible and not scissible, and many other passions of matter.

Fancy

Executed with skill.
He initiated the game-winning play with a fancy deked saucer pass to the winger.

Passion

The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill.
We also are men of like passions with you.
The nature of the human mind can not be sufficiently understood, without considering the affections and passions, or those modifications or actions of the mind consequent upon the apprehension of certain objects or events in which the mind generally conceives good or evil.
The term passion, and its adverb passionately, often express a very strong predilection for any pursuit, or object of taste - a kind of enthusiastic fondness for anything.
The bravery of his grief did put meInto a towering passion.
The ruling passion, be it what it will,The ruling passion conquers reason still.
Who walked in every path of human life,Felt every passion.
When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest, they can have no passion for the glory of their country.

Fancy

(colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
I'm not keen on him and his fancy ideas.

Passion

Disorder of the mind; madness.

Fancy

(obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.

Passion

Passion week. See Passion week, below.

Fancy

(nonstandard) In a fancy manner; fancily.

Passion

To give a passionate character to.

Fancy

(formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
I fancy your new car, but I like my old one just fine.

Passion

To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.

Fancy

(British) would like
I fancy a burger tonight for dinner.
Do you fancy going to town this weekend?

Passion

Strong feeling or emotion

Fancy

To be sexually attracted to.
I fancy that girl over there.

Passion

Intense passion or emotion

Fancy

To imagine, suppose.
[dated] I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.
I fancy this is an error.
Fancy meeting you here!
Fancy that! I saw Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy kissing in the garden.
You won't get the gig just because you fancy yourself a musician.

Passion

Something that is desired intensely;
His rage for fame destroyed him

Fancy

To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.

Passion

An irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action

Fancy

To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.

Passion

A feeling of strong sexual desire

Fancy

(transitive) To breed (animals) as a hobby.

Passion

Any object of warm affection or devotion;
The theater was her first love
He has a passion for cock fighting

Fancy

The faculty by which the mind forms an image or a representation of anything perceived before; the power of combining and modifying such objects into new pictures or images; the power of readily and happily creating and recalling such objects for the purpose of amusement, wit, or embellishment; imagination.
In the soulAre many lesser faculties, that serveReason as chief. Among these fancy nextHer office holds.

Passion

The suffering of Jesus at the crucifixion

Fancy

An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea; conceit.
How now, my lord ! why do you keep alone,Of sorriest fancies your companoins making ?

Passion

Passion drives actions, decisions, and pursuits with zeal.
Fueled by a passion for discovery, she explored uncharted territories.

Fancy

An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; caprice; whim; impression.
I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children.

Fancy

Inclination; liking, formed by caprice rather than reason; as, to strike one's fancy; hence, the object of inclination or liking.
To fit your fancies to your father's will.

Fancy

That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
London pride is a pretty fancy for borders.

Fancy

A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
At a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the fancy.

Fancy

To figure to one's self; to believe or imagine something without proof.
If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.

Fancy

To love.

Fancy

To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine.
He whom I fancy, but can ne'er express.

Fancy

To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.

Fancy

To believe without sufficient evidence; to imagine (something which is unreal).
He fancied he was welcome, because those arounde him were his kinsmen.

Fancy

Adapted to please the fancy or taste, especially when of high quality or unusually appealing; ornamental; as, fancy goods; fancy clothes.

Fancy

Extravagant; above real value.
This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.

Fancy

Something many people believe that is false;
They have the illusion that I am very wealthy

Fancy

Fancy was held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than imagination

Fancy

A predisposition to like something;
He had a fondness for whiskey

Fancy

Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy

Fancy

Have a fancy or particular liking or desire for;
She fancied a necklace that she had seen in the jeweler's window

Fancy

Not plain; decorative or ornamented;
Fancy handwriting
Fancy clothes

Fancy

Fancy is a liking or imaginative conception.
She has a fancy for vintage clothing.

Fancy

Fancy can be whimsical and not necessarily based on reason.
The child has a fancy that her toys come to life at night.

Fancy

Fancy indicates a lack of serious attachment or commitment.
Her fancy for the latest trends kept her wardrobe ever-changing.

Common Curiosities

Is fancy about transient desires?

Yes, fancy often represents transient desires and attractions that are fleeting and not deeply rooted.

What is passion characterized by?

Passion is characterized by its depth and fervor, representing a profound, consuming emotion or a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something.

What does fancy typically refer to?

Fancy typically refers to a liking, preference, or superficial desire often characterized by whimsical or imaginative thought.

Is passion deep and enduring?

Absolutely, passion is often deeply rooted and enduring, reflecting a powerful attachment or a strong, unwavering desire.

Can fancy be whimsical and change rapidly?

Yes, fancy can be whimsical, not necessarily based on reason, and can change rapidly indicating a lack of serious attachment.

Does passion drive actions and decisions?

Yes, passion can significantly influence and drive actions, decisions, and pursuits with intense zeal and determination.

Can fancy be based on imagination rather than reason?

Absolutely, fancy is often more about imagination and can be based on whimsical thoughts rather than reason or logic.

Does passion imply a deeper connection and conviction?

Absolutely, passion implies a deeper, profound connection and a strong, enduring conviction or desire.

Can fancy reflect a momentary whim?

Indeed, fancy can reflect a momentary whim or a sudden, fleeting attraction, often not backed by serious consideration or deep conviction.

Does fancy imply a serious attachment?

No, fancy often implies a lack of serious attachment or commitment, representing a lighter, more capricious inclination.

Can fancy be about superficial desires?

Yes, fancy generally pertains to superficial, fleeting desires and preferences that are not deeply rooted.

Is passion associated with a strong commitment to goals?

Yes, passion is often associated with a strong commitment and a relentless pursuit of goals, reflecting a profound connection and intense emotion.

Can passion be seen as a driving force in one’s pursuits?

Definitely, passion is a driving force that can lead individuals to pursue their interests, goals, or objects of desire with fervor and commitment.

Is fancy reflective of transient inclinations?

Yes, fancy is reflective of transient inclinations or preferences, often characterized by their fleeting and whimsical nature.

Can passion be consuming and overwhelming?

Yes, passion can be consuming and overwhelming, reflecting an intense emotion or desire that can dominate thoughts and actions.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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