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

But in their more than 50 million years on Earth, these maligned creatures have developed some admirable qualities, too. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026

While impressive on some level, and even admirable to some, this aggressive buying of severe weakness is not something that has typically coincided with important market lows. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

In 2000, the guitarist took an admirable swing with the guest-heavy grab bag Iommi, but not all of its nü-era experiments hold up. — Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

At the core of ‘Elastic Hearts’ is a reflection of the state’s natural beauty and the admirable resilience of its people. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 26 Oct. 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