admirable

/ˈædmərəbəl/

/ˈædmɪrəbəl/

Someone who deserves your admiration can be described as admirable. Your friend who saves homeless kittens in his spare time? An admirable person.

An action can be admirable, like when you stop to help someone who's slipped and fallen on an icy sidewalk. A person can also be admirable, like your uncle who works building schools in Sri Lanka. If you admire someone for a good reason, that makes them admirable, or deserving of your respect and admiration. When you pronounce admirable, you stress the first syllable, ad, unlike admire, which has the emphasis on the last syllable, mire.

Definitions of admirable

1. adjective

   inspiring admiration or approval
   “among her many admirable qualities are generosity and graciousness”

   synonyms:

   pleasing

   giving pleasure and satisfaction
2. adjective

   deserving of the highest esteem or admiration
   “trains ran with admirable precision”

   “his taste was impeccable, his health admirable”

   synonyms:

   estimable

   deserving of respect or high regard