English Reference
Adjective

likeable

adj.
B1 Intermediate US /ˈɫaɪkəbəɫ/ UK /lˈaɪkəbəl/ like·able UK spelling likable

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.


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 manHe is a likeable man

While 'likable' is the standard American spelling, British English learners often forget the 'e' when using the British variant 'likeable'.


From like + -able.

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

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated