Love vs. Passion — What's the Difference?

Love is a deep affection towards someone or something.

Passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm for something.

Love can represent a warm personal attachment or fondness.

Passion signifies a strong and barely controllable emotion.

Love signifies an attachment based on mutual respect.

Passion can mean a state of outburst of strong emotion.

Love can denote a term of endearment.

Passion can refer to the suffering or death of Jesus.

Love can refer to a passionate attraction and intimacy.

Strong and barely controllable emotion

Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the love of a mother differs from the love of a spouse, which differs from the love of food.

The suffering and death of Jesus

A strong feeling of affection and concern toward another person, as that arising from kinship or close friendship.

Strong or powerful emotion

A feeling of devotion or adoration toward God or a god.

A powerful emotion, such as anger or joy

A feeling of kindness or concern by God or a god toward humans.

The object of such desire or love

Often Love(Christianity) Charity.

Boundless enthusiasm

An instance of being in love

The object of such enthusiasm

A person for whom one has strong feelings of affection

An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger

Used as a term of endearment for such a person.

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

An intense emotional attachment to something, as to a pet or treasured object.

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

An expression of one's affection

Martyrdom

A strong predilection or enthusiasm

A true desire sustained or prolonged.

The object of such an enthusiasm

Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.

Love(Mythology) Eros or Cupid.

Fervor, determination.

(Sports) A score of zero, as in tennis.

An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

To feel love for (a person)

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

To feel devotion to (God or a god).

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

To feel or show kindness or concern to (a person). Used of God or a god.

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

To have an intense emotional attachment to

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

To embrace or caress

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

To like or desire enthusiastically

(obsolete) An innate attribute, property, or quality of a thing.

To thrive on; need

(obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.

(uncountable) A deep caring for the existence of another.

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

(uncountable) Strong affection.

(transitive) To give a passionate character to.

A profound and caring affection towards someone.

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.

Affectionate, benevolent concern or care for other people or beings, and for their well-being.

The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; - opposed to action.

A feeling of intense attraction towards someone.

Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

A deep or abiding liking for something; an enthusiasm for something.

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.

(countable) A person who is the object of romantic feelings; a darling, a sweetheart, a beloved.

Disorder of the mind; madness.

A term of friendly address, regardless of feelings.

Passion week. See Passion week, below.

A thing, activity, etc. which is the object of one's deep liking or enthusiasm.

To give a passionate character to.

An instance or episode of being in love; a love affair.

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

Used as the closing, before the signature, of a letter, especially between good friends or family members, or by the young.

Strong feeling or emotion

(obsolete) A thin silk material.

Intense passion or emotion

A climbing plant, Clematis vitalba.

Something that is desired intensely;

Zero, no score.

An irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action

Nothing; no recompense.

Any object of warm affection or devotion;

To have a strong affection for (someone or something).

The suffering of Jesus at the crucifixion

(transitive) To need, thrive on.

(transitive) To be strongly inclined towards something; an emphatic form of like.

To care deeply about, to be dedicated to (someone or something).

(transitive) To derive delight from a fact or situation.

A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness; as, the love of brothers and sisters.

Courtship; - chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage.

Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or desire; fondness; good will; - opposed to hate; often with of and an object.

Due gratitude and reverence to God.

The object of affection; - often employed in endearing address; as, he held his love in his arms; his greatest love was reading.

Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus.

A thin silk stuff.

A climbing species of Clematis (Clematis Vitalba).

Nothing; no points scored on one side; - used in counting score at tennis, etc.

To have a feeling of love for; to regard with affection or good will; as, to love one's children and friends; to love one's country; to love one's God.

To take delight or pleasure in; to have a strong liking or desire for, or interest in; to be pleased with; to like; as, to love books; to love adventures.

To have the feeling of love; to be in love.

A strong positive emotion of regard and affection;

Any object of warm affection or devotion;

A beloved person; used as terms of endearment

A score of zero in tennis or squash;

Have a great affection or liking for;

Get pleasure from;

Be enamored or in love with;

Passion is manifested as an intense, often fiery emotion, enthusiasm, or desire for something or someone.

Love is a deep and enduring affection and attachment towards someone or something.

Yes, in some cases, initial passion can evolve into deeper love as people get to know each other better.

Yes, there are various types such as romantic love, platonic love, familial love, and self-love, among others.

Not always. Love can bring joy and fulfillment, but it can also bring challenges, misunderstandings, and sometimes pain.

No, passion can relate to hobbies, work, causes, and many other areas of life, not just romantic relationships.

Often, yes. Passion can be intense but short-lived, especially if not nurtured or complemented by other emotions.

Yes, love can exist without passion, especially in long-term relationships where deep understanding and attachment are more prominent.

Yes, passion, especially in the context of relationships, can diminish over time but might be replaced or accompanied by deeper love.

While passion is often positive, it can also denote obsessive or uncontrollable emotions which may not always be beneficial.

Factors like mutual respect, trust, understanding, and shared experiences often sustain love in the long run.

Absolutely! Many people have a deep passion for activities, hobbies, or causes that drive them.

No, they can coexist. A relationship, for instance, can have deep love and fiery passion simultaneously.

Love implies a calm, deep emotional connection, while passion suggests more immediate and fervent intensity.

Yes, maintaining love, especially in relationships, often requires effort, understanding, and communication.