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

All of these requests may be admirable, but Uncle Sam just can’t afford it anymore. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026

From 2021 to 2024, Gloria did an admirable job using one-time monies to take the city through the crisis. — Carl Luna, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

For both, the pursuit of an ace despite their relatively cushy status in the standings represented admirable ambition. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Despite its admirable goal — making highly effective treatments more affordable — the program risks doing the opposite by creating a complex, burdensome process that could limit access in practice. — Jeffrey Millstein, STAT, 11 Aug. 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