English Reference
adjective

admirable

adj.
US /ˈædmɝəbəɫ/ UK /ˈædməɹəbəl/ ad·mirable

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    deserving of respect and approval because of good qualities or hard work.

    deserving of high esteem or admiration; characterized by qualities that elicit social or moral approval.

    Simple

    The way she handled the difficult situation with such patience was truly admirable.

    In context

    His dedication to the project was admirable, especially considering the limited resources and tight deadlines he had to work with.

    Usage

    Often used to describe character traits, efforts, or specific achievements.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'wonderful' or 'great' are general, 'admirable' specifically implies that the person deserves respect for their choices or hard work.

    praiseworthycommendableestimable
    contemptibledespicableshameful

More admirable honesty is offered up when Guardiola’s 10 changes for that November 2025 defeat to Leverkusen are criticised.

The Guardian· 18 Aug 2026

Her energy as a researcher is indefatigable, and admirable.

The Guardian· 16 Jul 2026

From Middle English admyrable, partly from Middle French admirable and partly from its etymon, Latin admirābilis. By surface analysis, admire + -able.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin admirābilis
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated