admirable

adjective

ad·​mi·​ra·​ble ˈad-m(ə-)rə-bəl 

1

: deserving the highest esteem : excellent

an admirable achievement

2

obsolete : exciting wonder : surprising

admirability

ˌad-m(ə-)rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

admirableness

ˈad-m(ə-)rə-bəl-nəs 

noun

admirably

ˈad-m(ə-)rə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of admirable

• meritorious
• worthy
• excellent
• commendable
• laudable
• impressive
• praiseworthy
• awesome

Examples of admirable in a Sentence

Loyalty was her most admirable quality.

it's admirable the way she helps her elderly neighbor with chores and errands every Saturday

Recent Examples on the Web

Often, grand jurors are obliged to sit for months at a time, often at great personal expense, demonstrating admirable and selfless fortitude in service of this important public service. —Barbara Jaffe, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026

The second-placer is Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which scored an admirable 13 nods. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026

What has always been so admirable is that Sony Classics has managed to do this both at home and abroad, centering not just domestic stories of injustice but international ones as well. —Karen Kramer, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026

Olga Khazan tackles this challenge for herself with a determination that’s both comical and admirable. —Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English admyrable, borrowed from Anglo-French admirable, borrowed from Latin admīrābilis, from admīrārī "to admire" + -bilis "capable (of acting or being acted upon)" — more at -able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

admirable

adjective

ad·​mi·​ra·​ble ˌad-mə-rə-bəl 

-mrə-bəl

: deserving to be admired : excellent

admirableness noun

admirably

-blē 

adverb