admirable

adjective

ad·​mi·​ra·​ble ˈad-m(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce admirable (audio)
1
: deserving the highest esteem : excellent
an admirable achievement
2
obsolete : exciting wonder : surprising
admirability noun
admirableness noun
admirably adverb

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 The amount of time, dedication, and often personal risk necessary to bring such stories to life is admirable; so too is the ability to tell a story with empathy, sympathy, and suspense. Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 12 Mar. 2024 These principles alone were admirable because the paper was derived from discussions with industry experts, a multidisciplinary review of existing research on stakeholder and public engagement, and more than 70 individual interviews with AI practitioners. John Hall, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 If the effort is admirable, however, the execution is decidedly not. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 Your own family’s ethic of independence is admirable, but a history of improvidence can’t be undone; comparisons here aren’t so much odious as pointless. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 In the club lounge, Rose, our member whose kindness and consideration toward her fellow players is admirable, was talking about how much the club meant to her. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2024 There is nothing admirable in laboring to love a world as unlike heaven as possible. Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 8 Feb. 2024 These countries are troubled but mostly admirable democracies that play critical roles in raging competitions. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 President Biden's commitment to fighting cancer through his Cancer Moonshot is admirable. Sally Pipes, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'admirable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of admirable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near admirable

Cite this Entry

“Admirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/admirable. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

admirable

adjective
ad·​mi·​ra·​ble ˌad-mə-rə-bəl How to pronounce admirable (audio)
-mrə-bəl
: deserving to be admired : excellent
admirableness noun
admirably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on admirable

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