ENGLISH
REFERENCE

desirable

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //dɪˈzaɪɝəbəɫ// UK //dɪzˈaɪəɹəbəl// de·sir·able

adj. having qualities that make people want or value it. You use this to describe something that is attractive, useful, or worth having.

adj. possessing qualities that are attractive, advantageous, or worth seeking. Often used in formal or professional contexts to describe outcomes, traits, or locations.


SIMPLE

A quiet garden is a very desirable feature in a city home.

CONTEXTUAL

The company is looking for candidates with desirable skills like coding and project management.

COMPLEX

While the policy aims for a desirable increase in local employment, economists warn that the immediate inflationary pressure could undermine any long-term gains for the working class.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Old French desirable. Morphologically desire + -able.

Usage

Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or as a predicative adjective after a linking verb.

Pitfall

It is a desireful resultIt is a desirable resultLearners sometimes use 'desireful' (which is rare/archaic) when they mean 'desirable' to describe something worth having.

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