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
Adjective
The first-year Camaro crossing the block through Mecum Auctions is just one vehicle among an impressive group of desirable Chevrolets coming to the NRG Center in Houston, Tex., from April 4 through 6. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 Downtown, Front Street, and Clinch Park are some of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city, offering historic Victorian homes and easy walking access to the best restaurants and shops. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2024 Other members of the fungi family tree are less desirable and act as disease-causing pathogens that can disrupt ecosystems and blight human and animal health. Katie Hunt, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 In 2023, Wanderlust Magazine named it the most desirable country in Europe. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 What sounded like an incantation was a catalogue of desirable mutations. Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 The brand is also catching wind on the secondary market as well with dealers citing its neo-vintage models as increasingly desirable. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2024 The Mood Meter app can be used to rate emotions, record how the user is feeling, and suggest recommendations on how to reach a more desirable mood. Jazmin Towe, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024 That’s a shift from the company’s history, when disposability was a desirable convenience. Ted Alcorn, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
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 Self-cleaning functions probably top the list of desirables, while tanks that only require a rinse-out post-cleaning are a close second. Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2024 To the hopeful eye, this wide cooler sometimes looks sadly empty, lacking desirables that could have made it to that night’s dinner table. Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023 The Constitution protects desirables and undesirables alike. Phil Gramm and Michael Solon, WSJ, 14 Jan. 2020 Responses ran the gamut of tangible and intangible desirables, some of which are truly shoot-for-the-stars gifts and at least one that doesn't cost any money at all. Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2019 The undesirables are migrants or refugees, the desirables are expats or cosmopolitans. Ben Huberman, Longreads, 21 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desirable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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
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