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.
A $5 million goal is admirable and doable, assuming you have 15 to 20 years left to work and you save a meaningful portion of your income.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 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
Noskova's second-set collapse was excruciating to watch for the 15,000-strong crowd on Centre Court, but the way in which she mentally reset in the decider was admirable.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The NEA made it a matter of admirable policy that commissioned new works get multiple performances.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
It’s an admirable effort, but you’re unlikely to ever be called upon to execute the task.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
