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
Examples of desirable in a Sentence
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 Web
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025
No major surgery required, but one new face is desirable.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Julia Mitchem, Architectural Digest, 4 Oct. 2024
Chollet’s approach is both provocative and intriguing: the fact that Obama’s strategy consists of a list of desirables rather than a hierarchy of goals is one of the main charges made by the president’s critics.
—Derek Chollet, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2016
See All Example Sentences for desirable
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Sometimes, the larvae would chew these body parts into more desirable sizes.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025
No major surgery required, but one new face is desirable.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
Spend time laying out what is non-negotiable in terms of size, location, style, and function, then the desirables or nice-to-haves.
—Julia Mitchem, Architectural Digest, 4 Oct. 2024
Chollet’s approach is both provocative and intriguing: the fact that Obama’s strategy consists of a list of desirables rather than a hierarchy of goals is one of the main charges made by the president’s critics.
—Derek Chollet, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2016
See All Example Sentences for desirable
Cite this Entry
“Desirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desirable. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share