desirable
Americanadjective
-
worth having or wanting; pleasing, excellent, or fine.
a desirable apartment.
-
arousing desire or longing.
a desirable man or woman.
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advisable; recommendable.
a desirable law.
noun
adjective
-
worthy of desire or recommendation
a desirable residence
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arousing desire, esp sexual desire; attractive
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of desirable
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French; equivalent to desire + -able
Explanation
If something is desirable it is worthy, so many people might want it. If you're hoping for one of the most desirable roles in a play, you have to have an excellent audition. Popular. Attractive. In demand. Sought-after. All of these describe things that are desirable. After all, it has at its base the word desire, which describes wanting. The root of desirable is the Latin word desiderare, which means "long for, wish for, demand, or expect." It may have originated from the phrase de sidere, "from the stars."
Vocabulary lists containing desirable
List 4
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List 3
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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.
Though made more possible and more desirable by the latest technology, this way of living also recalls the country’s origins, he says, when many otherwise-private homes doubled as de facto inns or outright boardinghouses.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
When older workers do incorporate AI into their skillset, they’ll be more desirable to employers, Johnson said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
This provides direct magnetic control over the charge carriers linked to the nodal lines, a capability that does not exist in non-magnetic nodal-line materials and is highly desirable for spintronic technologies.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
They've experimented with different microorganisms to minimise off-flavours and maximise desirable flavour compounds such as umami or sweetness.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Shadrack looked at the cement stretches: each one leading clearheadedly to some presumably desirable destination.
From "Sula" by Toni Morrison
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.
