admirable
Americanadjective
-
worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.
- Synonyms:
- praiseworthy, estimable
- Antonyms:
- reprehensible, disreputable, unworthy
-
excellent; first-rate.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of admirable
From the Latin word admīrābilis, dating back to 1590–1600. See admire, -able
Explanation
Someone who deserves your admiration can be described as admirable. Your friend who saves homeless kittens in his spare time? An admirable person. An action can be admirable, like when you stop to help someone who's slipped and fallen on an icy sidewalk. A person can also be admirable, like your uncle who works building schools in Sri Lanka. If you admire someone for a good reason, that makes them admirable, or deserving of your respect and admiration. When you pronounce admirable, you stress the first syllable, ad, unlike admire, which has the emphasis on the last syllable, mire.
Vocabulary lists containing admirable
Positive Words to Describe People, List 1
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 6
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"The Man in the Water" by Roger Rosenblatt
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before this latest streak, the Dodgers had done an admirable job of not piling up losses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
It’s an admirable impulse — and one rooted in a genuine sense of civic duty.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
His determination may be admirable, but the sheer, futile arrogance of such a display backfires in equally spectacular fashion.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
A draw away from home in 2017 was an admirable effort and the 2023 fightback almost felt like a victory.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Only time could prove the Foretelling right or wrong, unless it was, as I expected, one of those admirable professional prophecies applicable to any outcome.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
