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

And newsletters do an admirable job servicing communities, which here at Forbes can mean age (Under 30), race (ForbesBLK) or gender (ForbesWomen), as well as job title. —Randall Lane, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

The stamina, coordination, reflexes and maneuvering of a vehicle at such ridiculously high speeds is more than admirable. —Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026

Your family member’s service to the public is admirable and needed, but that doesn’t give them a license to put their safety or the safety of others at risk. —R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 29 May 2026

In many ways, having a talent for low-key styling is even more admirable than having a rock-solid red carpet presence. —Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 28 May 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