enviable

[en-vee-uh-buhl]

See more synonyms for enviable on Thesaurus.com

adjective

worthy of envy; very desirable: an enviable position.

Origin of enviable

First recorded in 1595–1605; envy + -able

Related formsen·vi·a·ble·ness, nounen·vi·a·bly, adverbnon·en·vi·a·ble, adjectivenon·en·vi·a·ble·ness, nounnon·en·vi·a·bly, adverbun·en·vi·a·ble, adjectiveun·en·vi·a·bly, adverb

Can be confusedenviable envious jealous

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

advantageous, fortunate, lucky.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for enviable

Contemporary Examples

Whole Foods has an enviable stomach- and wallet-share among consumers of high-end grocers.
Whole Foods Is Getting Its Organic Lunch Eaten
Daniel Gross
May 9, 2014
A god is an enviable creature who is more than you could ever be.
Can You Paint Like Johannes Vermeer, Too?
Andrew Romano
December 6, 2013
The quartet seems to be dealing with their respective emotional turmoil with enviable zippy wit.
‘Girls’ Season 3 Trailer Debuts. Is It the Most Relatable Yet?
Kevin Fallon
November 22, 2013
A political novice—this is her first elective office—she brings an enviable track record of succeeding against great odds.
Elizabeth Warren Fuels 2016 Fire With Anti-Bank Speech
Eleanor Clift
November 12, 2013
But this does seem to be the day for people in enviable financial positions!
First World Financial Problems
Megan McArdle
March 11, 2013

Historical Examples

What enviable privileges are annexed to the birth of an Englishman!
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
Certainly, Arthur Beaufort is the most enviable fellow in Europe.
Night and Morning, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The fishermen who slept in the shelter of the Saint's Pool were enviable.
A Spirit in Prison
Robert Hichens
The post of baggage master on a railroad train is not an enviable one.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;
Various
But the Allies themselves were in no enviable position to relieve others.
Herbert Hoover
Vernon Kellogg

British Dictionary definitions for enviable

enviable

adjective

exciting envy; fortunate or privileged

Derived Formsenviableness, nounenviably, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for enviable

adj.

c.1600, from envy + -able. Related: Enviably.

enviable

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}enviable

Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for enviable

Contemporary Examples

Whole Foods has an enviable stomach- and wallet-share among consumers of high-end grocers.

A god is an enviable creature who is more than you could ever be.

The quartet seems to be dealing with their respective emotional turmoil with enviable zippy wit.

A political novice—this is her first elective office—she brings an enviable track record of succeeding against great odds.

But this does seem to be the day for people in enviable financial positions!

Historical Examples

What enviable privileges are annexed to the birth of an Englishman!

Certainly, Arthur Beaufort is the most enviable fellow in Europe.

The fishermen who slept in the shelter of the Saint's Pool were enviable.

The post of baggage master on a railroad train is not an enviable one.

But the Allies themselves were in no enviable position to relieve others.

enviable

Word Origin and History for enviable

adj.

Origin of enviable