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Vigor vs. Enthusiasm — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 30, 2024
Vigor implies physical or mental strength and energy, often suggesting robust health or vitality, while enthusiasm is more about intense eagerness or interest in a particular subject or activity.
Vigor vs. Enthusiasm — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Vigor and Enthusiasm

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Key Differences

Vigor is often associated with physical strength, vitality, and robust health. It connotes a sense of powerful exertion and the ability to undertake strenuous activities. Whereas enthusiasm is characterized by a keen interest, excitement, or passion for something, not necessarily linked to physical strength or energy.
Enthusiasm can be seen as a mental or emotional state that drives individuals to engage in activities with intense eagerness and joy. It's about the heart's investment in pursuits, often infectious to others. On the other hand, vigor is more about the capacity to perform tasks, with a focus on endurance, resilience, and the intensity of effort.
While vigor can enhance one's ability to pursue interests with sustained energy and resilience, enthusiasm fuels the initial and ongoing interest in those pursuits. Enthusiasm motivates action, while vigor sustains it.
Vigor is crucial in activities that demand physical endurance, such as sports or manual labor, enabling one to perform effectively over time. Enthusiasm, however, is key in both physical and intellectual activities, driving engagement and commitment.
Enthusiasm can spark the pursuit of a new hobby, project, or learning, driven by intrinsic interest and joy. Vigor, meanwhile, supports the pursuit through physical or mental stamina, making sustained effort possible.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

The physical or mental strength and energy.
Intense eagerness or interest in a subject.

Source

Often associated with health and physical capability.
Rooted in mental and emotional states.

Role in Activities

Enhances ability to perform and endure.
Drives engagement and commitment.

Relation to Endurance

Integral to sustaining effort in tasks.
May inspire initial effort but not sustain it.

Key in

Physical endurance activities.
Both physical and intellectual pursuits.

Compare with Definitions

Vigor

Physical or mental strength and good health.
After her vacation, she returned to work with renewed vigor.

Enthusiasm

An intense fervor or zeal.
She spoke about her plans with palpable enthusiasm.

Vigor

Intensity of force or effect.
He argued his point with great vigor.

Enthusiasm

A source or object of great excitement.
The new art exhibit has become an enthusiasm among locals.

Vigor

The capacity for natural growth and survival.
The vigor of the seedlings was evident in their quick sprouting.

Enthusiasm

Intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
Her enthusiasm for the project was contagious.

Vigor

Vitality and energy in expression or style.
The artist's latest work is full of vigor.

Enthusiasm

Zeal in pursuit of something.
His enthusiasm for research is unmatched.

Vigor

Robustness in physical structure or health.
The old tree still showed signs of vigor despite its age.

Enthusiasm

A strong excitement of feeling.
The crowd’s enthusiasm reached its peak during the finale.

Vigor

Physical or mental strength, energy, or force
Our vigor was depleted by the hot weather.

Enthusiasm

In modern usage, enthusiasm refers to intense enjoyment, interest, or approval expressed by a person. The term is related to playfulness, inventiveness, optimism and high energy.

Vigor

The capacity for natural growth and survival, as of plants or animals.

Enthusiasm

Great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause.

Vigor

Strong feeling; enthusiasm or intensity
Argued his point with great vigor.

Enthusiasm

A source or cause of great excitement or interest.

Vigor

(American spelling) vigour

Enthusiasm

Ecstasy arising from supposed possession by a god.

Vigor

Active strength or force of body or mind; capacity for exertion, physically, intellectually, or morally; force; energy.
The vigor of this arm was never vain.

Enthusiasm

Religious fanaticism.

Vigor

Strength or force in animal or vegetable nature or action; as, a plant grows with vigor.

Enthusiasm

Intensity of feeling; excited interest or eagerness.
Try to curb your enthusiasm.
They have a great enthusiasm for country music.

Vigor

Strength; efficacy; potency.
But in the fruithful earth . . . His beams, unactive else, their vigor find.

Enthusiasm

Something in which one is keenly interested.

Vigor

To invigorate.

Enthusiasm

Possession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy.

Vigor

An exertion of force;
He plays tennis with great energy

Enthusiasm

Inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power; ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine impulse.
Enthusiasm is founded neither on reason nor divine revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed or overweening imagination.

Vigor

Active strength of body or mind

Enthusiasm

A state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of fancy; exaltation of soul; as, the poetry of enthusiasm.
Resolutions adopted in enthusiasm are often repented of when excitement has been succeeded by the wearing duties of hard everyday routine.
Exhibiting the seeming contradiction of susceptibility to enthusiasm and calculating shrewdness.

Vigor

An imaginative lively style (especially style of writing);
His writing conveys great energy

Enthusiasm

Enkindled and kindling fervor of soul; strong excitement of feeling on behalf of a cause or a subject; ardent and imaginative zeal or interest; as, he engaged in his profession with enthusiasm.
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm

Lively manifestation of joy or zeal.
Philip was greeted with a tumultuous enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm

A feeling of excitement

Enthusiasm

Overflowing with enthusiasm

Enthusiasm

A lively interest;
Enthusiasm for his program is growing

Common Curiosities

Can someone have vigor without enthusiasm?

Yes, one can have the physical or mental energy (vigor) without necessarily having enthusiasm for a specific activity.

Is enthusiasm more mental or emotional?

Enthusiasm is more of an emotional or mental state characterized by eagerness and interest.

How does vigor contribute to physical activities?

Vigor contributes by providing the physical strength and endurance needed to perform and sustain effort in activities.

How does enthusiasm affect learning?

Enthusiasm can enhance learning by motivating engagement and sustained interest in a subject.

Can enthusiasm wane over time?

Yes, enthusiasm can diminish if interest declines or if faced with challenges or monotony.

Can enthusiasm influence others?

Yes, enthusiasm can be contagious and inspire others to share in the excitement or interest.

Does enthusiasm require energy?

While enthusiasm is more of an emotional state, engaging in activities with enthusiasm can consume energy.

What differentiates vigor from enthusiasm?

Vigor refers to physical or mental strength and energy, while enthusiasm is about intense eagerness or interest.

What role does vigor play in professional success?

Vigor can enhance professional success by enabling sustained effort, resilience, and performance.

How can one maintain their vigor?

Maintaining vigor involves healthy lifestyle choices, regular exercise, and adequate rest.

Can enthusiasm be developed?

Yes, enthusiasm can be cultivated by exploring subjects of interest and engaging with them deeply.

Is vigor related to health?

Yes, vigor often implies good health and the capacity for physical activity and endurance.

Is vigor solely physical?

No, vigor can also refer to mental energy and strength, not just physical.

What impact does enthusiasm have on team dynamics?

Enthusiasm can positively impact team dynamics by boosting morale, fostering collaboration, and driving collective motivation.

How can one increase their enthusiasm for a task?

Increasing enthusiasm may involve finding aspects of the task that are interesting or meaningful, setting goals, and seeking inspiration.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Maham Liaqat
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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