desirable
Americanadjective
-
worth having or wanting; pleasing, excellent, or fine.
a desirable apartment.
-
arousing desire or longing.
a desirable man or woman.
-
advisable; recommendable.
a desirable law.
noun
adjective
-
worthy of desire or recommendation
a desirable residence
-
arousing desire, esp sexual desire; attractive
noun
Other Word Forms
- desirability noun
- desirableness noun
- desirably adverb
Etymology
Origin of desirable
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French; equivalent to desire + -able
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.
“Privately set behind gates on one of Longridge Estates’ most desirable streets, this corner-lot residence offers both scale and warmth,” the listing read.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026
Instead of being pushed to less desirable burial spots, individuals with these illnesses were often buried in the same prominent locations as everyone else.
From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026
It has published a list of desirable Tel Aviv beach spots based on their proximity to a shelter.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
Some politicians and housing economists want to increase the capital-gains exclusion for home sales to encourage older people to sell their homes before death, especially large houses that could be desirable for younger families.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
“It appears to me the most desirable arrangement in the world.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
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.
