Word
likeable
Phoneticslike·able
US/ˈɫaɪkəbəɫ/
UK/lˈaɪkəbəl/
US spelling · likable
Definition
adj. pleasant and easy to like. You use this to describe someone who has a nice personality that makes people feel comfortable.
adj. having qualities that inspire affection or pleasant feelings in others. Often used to describe a person's temperament or a fictional character's appeal.
Examples
“He is a very likeable person with a great smile.”
“Even though the protagonist makes several mistakes, his honest nature makes him a likeable character.”
“The candidate's success was attributed less to her specific policy proposals and more to her likeable public persona, which resonated with a broad demographic of voters.”
Examples
simple
“He is a very likeable person with a great smile.”
contextual
“Even though the protagonist makes several mistakes, his honest nature makes him a likeable character.”
complex
“The candidate's success was attributed less to her specific policy proposals and more to her likeable public persona, which resonated with a broad demographic of voters.”
Usage
Commonly used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after linking verbs like 'seem' or 'be'.
Pitfall
He is a likable man
He is a likeable man
While 'likable' is the standard American spelling, British English learners often forget the 'e' when using the British variant 'likeable'.
Etymology
From like + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/likeable