desirable Hear it!

desirable Definition

de·sir·able (di zīrə bəl)

adjective

  1. worth wanting or having; worthwhile, beneficial, expedient, etc.
  2. arousing desire; pleasing, attractive, etc.

Etymology: ME < OFr: see desire & -able

noun

a desirable person or thing

Related Forms:

desirable Synonyms

desirable

modif.

  1. Arousing desire

    seductive, alluring, sought-after, to die for*; see charming, popular 1.

  2. Generally advantageous

    useful, beneficial, expedient, advisable; see fit 1, helpful 1, profitable.

  3. Having many good qualities

    good, welcome, acceptable, pleasing; see excellent.

desirable Usage Examples

Preposition: from

  • standpoint: Using herbicides is not desirable from an environmental standpoint.

Modifying Another Word

  • highly: Located on the fringe of the highly desirable commuter village of Burton Fleming.
  • socially: Giving a " socially desirable " answer or the one you think the employer is looking for is dangerous.
  • eminently: Normally I would not see cutting LEA staff as a problem - indeed I would see it as eminently desirable!
  • environmentally: Like most disabled people, I will always take the accessible option over all others, including the environmentally desirable ones.
  • neither: In such a society economic growth and international trade on a massive scale are neither desirable nor necessary.
  • educationally: Using computers in field classes makes it possible to do educationally desirable things which are very difficult or impossible without their assistance.

Infinitive complement

  • preserve: Conservation Areas: Areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.
  • avoid: It is desirable to avoid the proliferation of Protocols directed at specific topics.

Modifies a noun

  • trait: Nevertheless, the winter requiring varieties have desirable traits that are not present in the spring varieties.
  • attribute: Pretty well, I can tell you, since I was thinking of it when I was compiling the list of most desirable attributes.
  • outcome: For a desirable outcome, a workable threshold was a basic need.
  • characteristic: More Uses The magical system can be used to develop desirable characteristics within yourself.
  • residence: A most desirable private residence to full residential standards.
  • location: This village is a desirable location with it only being a short drive away to Stafford Town Center.

Used with adjective complement

  • deem: THE DESTINATION Most academic staff could list the sorts of qualities they deem desirable in students entering year 2 of a degree program.
  • seem: At this time this seemed desirable so I hailed the lorry and got into the cabin.
  • consider: But the take-up rate is still far below the 95 % considered desirable by experts.
  • appear: Where higher factors might appear desirable, a more thorough analysis of the problem should be undertaken before deciding on their use.
  • think: Should a Flemish Eye be required or thought desirable, the operation can be done only manually.
desirable Quotes

I know that a sweet child is the sweetest thing in nature†but the prettier the kind of a thing is, the more desirable it is that it should be pretty of its kind.

—Lamb, Charles

The sole evidence it is possible to produce that anything is desirable, is that people do actually desire it.

—Mill,John Stuart

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