adorable

adjective

ador·​able ə-ˈdȯr-ə-bəl How to pronounce adorable (audio)
Synonyms of adorable
1
: extremely charming or appealing
an adorable child
an adorable cottage
2
: worthy of adoration or veneration
adorability
ə-ˌdȯr-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce adorable (audio)
noun
adorableness
ə-ˈdȯr-ə-bəl-nəs How to pronounce adorable (audio)
noun
adorably
ə-ˈdȯr-ə-blē How to pronounce adorable (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of adorable

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Examples of adorable in a Sentence

They live in an adorable little cottage. what an adorable old lady, so kind and sweet
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s when Wormie World, an art scavenger hunt featuring hundreds of adorable ceramic worms, will host its third annual free urban art hunt throughout the city’s central neighborhoods. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Today’s recipe More adorable than spooky, these Halloween treats are nothing more than homemade marshmallows, using just a handful of ingredients. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 An adorable pup in Louisiana was anxious to swim into rising Gulf of Mexico waters, doing a stationary doggie paddle while being carried through a flood during Hurricane Isaias. — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026 That happened just a few weeks after Meta Connect, at which the company was all in on Muse, their agent platform with an adorable mascot. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adorable

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "worthy of veneration," going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin adōrābilis, from adōrāre "to venerate, adore" + -bilis "capable (of acting or being acted upon)" — more at -able

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of adorable was in 1601

Rhymes for adorable

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Browse Nearby Words

adorability
adorable
adorant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adorable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adorable. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

adorable

adjective
ador·​able ə-ˈdōr-ə-bəl How to pronounce adorable (audio)
-ˈdȯr-
1
: deserving to be adored
2
: charming, lovely
an adorable child
adorableness noun
adorably
-blē How to pronounce adorable (audio)
adverb
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