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
As populations continue to grow, females may also become more selective, which could further favor males with stronger displays or other desirable traits.
From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 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
Although New Zealand ranks highly in lists of the most desirable places in the world to live and work, in recent years the record numbers of arrivals have been matched by departures.
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
Like the conductor, at that moment Miss Lumley had no way of predicting whether her life would turn out happily or in some other, less desirable way.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
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.
