desirable

1 of 2

adjective

de·​sir·​able di-ˈzī-rə-bəl How to pronounce desirable (audio)
1
: having pleasing qualities or properties : attractive
"Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner."Jane Austen
a house in a highly desirable location
2
: worth seeking or doing as advantageous, beneficial, or wise : advisable
desirable legislation
desirableness noun
desirably adverb

desirable

2 of 2

noun

: a person or thing that merits or attracts favorable attention and consideration : one that is desirable

Examples of desirable in a Sentence

Adjective The house is in a highly desirable location. The new stove has many desirable features. the qualities that make a desirable business partner The experiment did not achieve a desirable result. a beautiful and desirable woman
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Research has also shown that desirable low-stress rat environments retune their brains’ reward circuits, such as the nucleus accumbens. Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024 Unemployment dipped to its lowest level in 54 years in 2023 and stayed within a desirable range. Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
Spend time laying out what is non-negotiable in terms of size, location, style, and function, then the desirables or nice-to-haves. Julia Mitchem, Architectural Digest, 4 Oct. 2024 Chollet’s approach is both provocative and intriguing: the fact that Obama’s strategy consists of a list of desirables rather than a hierarchy of goals is one of the main charges made by the president’s critics. Derek Chollet, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2016 See all Example Sentences for desirable 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see desire entry 1

Noun

see desire entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1645, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of desirable was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near desirable

Cite this Entry

“Desirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desirable. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

desirable

adjective
de·​sir·​able
di-ˈzī-rə-bəl
1
: having pleasing qualities or properties : attractive
a desirable location
2
: worth having, seeking, or doing : advisable
desirable legislation
desirability
-ˌzī-rə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
desirableness
-ˈzī-rə-bəl-nəs
noun
desirably
-blē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on desirable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!