de·sir·able
di-ˈzī-rə-bəl 
1
: having pleasing qualities or properties : attractive
"Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner."—
Jane Austen
Jane Austena house in a highly desirable location
2
: worth seeking or doing as advantageous, beneficial, or wise : advisable
desirable legislation
desirableness
noun
: a person or thing that merits or attracts favorable attention and consideration : one that is desirable
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Adjective
The house is in a highly desirable location.
The new stove has many desirable features.
the qualities that make a desirable business partner
The experiment did not achieve a desirable result.
a beautiful and desirable woman
Recent Examples on the WebJulia Jacobo, ABC News, 14 May 2023
Being a nerd has become not just an acceptable trajectory but an incredibly desirable one.
—Nicole Laporte, Town & Country, 2 May 2023
Artificial intelligence is here to rescue people who may have desirable traits, but aren't necessarily adept at displaying their most attractive qualities in the fickle world of online dating.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2023
For millennia, farmers and ranchers had to encourage desirable traits by selective breeding, a notoriously painstaking and imprecise technique.
—Peter G. Lurie And Beth Ellikidis, STAT, 17 Apr. 2023
In general, the browning in nonstick pans is not as robust as with uncoated pans, which can be a good thing for desserts but less desirable for savory foods.
—Good Housekeeping, 31 Mar. 2023
Researchers have found plants grown from air layering often grow to a desirable size faster, and are usually stronger, than plants propagated by other methods.
—Lynn Coulter, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2023
Smaller homes are typically cheaper to rent, renovate, or buy, and more often than not, likely are located in desirable neighborhoods that are close to transport, work, or other amenities.
—Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 17 Mar. 2023
But no ingredient is as desirable as tea, especially in China.
—Chris Dwyer, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
The Constitution protects desirables and undesirables alike.
—Phil Gramm And Michael Solon, WSJ, 14 Jan. 2020
Responses ran the gamut of tangible and intangible desirables, some of which are truly shoot-for-the-stars gifts and at least one that doesn't cost any money at all.
—Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2019
The undesirables are migrants or refugees, the desirables are expats or cosmopolitans.
—Ben Huberman, Longreads, 21 July 2017
See More
Adjective
Amid extreme climate and natural disasters, is California still a desirable place to live and vacation?
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 14 May 2023
Being a nerd has become not just an acceptable trajectory but an incredibly desirable one.
—Nicole Laporte, Town & Country, 2 May 2023
Artificial intelligence is here to rescue people who may have desirable traits, but aren't necessarily adept at displaying their most attractive qualities in the fickle world of online dating.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2023
For millennia, farmers and ranchers had to encourage desirable traits by selective breeding, a notoriously painstaking and imprecise technique.
—Peter G. Lurie And Beth Ellikidis, STAT, 17 Apr. 2023
In general, the browning in nonstick pans is not as robust as with uncoated pans, which can be a good thing for desserts but less desirable for savory foods.
—Good Housekeeping, 31 Mar. 2023
Researchers have found plants grown from air layering often grow to a desirable size faster, and are usually stronger, than plants propagated by other methods.
—Lynn Coulter, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2023
Smaller homes are typically cheaper to rent, renovate, or buy, and more often than not, likely are located in desirable neighborhoods that are close to transport, work, or other amenities.
—Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 17 Mar. 2023
But no ingredient is as desirable as tea, especially in China.
—Chris Dwyer, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
Noun
To the hopeful eye, this wide cooler sometimes looks sadly empty, lacking desirables that could have made it to that night’s dinner table.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
The Constitution protects desirables and undesirables alike.
—Phil Gramm And Michael Solon, WSJ, 14 Jan. 2020
Responses ran the gamut of tangible and intangible desirables, some of which are truly shoot-for-the-stars gifts and at least one that doesn't cost any money at all.
—Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2019
The undesirables are migrants or refugees, the desirables are expats or cosmopolitans.
—Ben Huberman, Longreads, 21 July 2017
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desirable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near desirable
Cite this Entry
“Desirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desirable. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.
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Kids Definition
desirable
adjective
de·sir·able
di-ˈzī-rə-bəl
1
: having pleasing qualities or properties : attractive
a desirable location
2
: worth having, seeking, or doing : advisable
desirable legislation
desirability
noun
-ˌzī-rə-ˈbil-ət-ē
desirableness
noun
-ˈzī-rə-bəl-nəs
desirably
adverb
-blē
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