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
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
Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
Unemployment dipped to its lowest level in 54 years in 2023 and stayed within a desirable range.
—Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
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
Research has also shown that desirable low-stress rat environments retune their brains’ reward circuits, such as the nucleus accumbens.
—Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
Unemployment dipped to its lowest level in 54 years in 2023 and stayed within a desirable range.
—Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
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
Dictionary Entries Near desirable
Cite this Entry
“Desirable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desirable. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share