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
specifically
: sexually attractive
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
de·sir·able·ness
-bəlnə̇s
plural -es
: the fact or quality of being desirable : desirability
I am quite ready to accept the desirableness of government liability—O. W. Holmes †1935
O. W. Holmes †1935Examples 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
New Atlas, 14 June 2026
Lane-Huereca, who was born and raised in the city, explains that what makes New Braunfels so desirable is its mix of affordability, compared to neighboring markets, and access to stable jobs.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026
Eder I. Aguilar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for desirable
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Adjective
The researchers believe the technology could find applications anywhere private, localized audio is desirable.
—New Atlas, 14 June 2026
Lane-Huereca, who was born and raised in the city, explains that what makes New Braunfels so desirable is its mix of affordability, compared to neighboring markets, and access to stable jobs.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026
Noun
Public schooling here has always been a case of the haves and have-nots, the desirables and undesirables.
—Eder I. Aguilar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for desirable
Cite this Entry
“Desirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desirable. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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