desirability
gb/dɪzˌaɪɚəbˈɪlɪti/ us/dɪzˌaɪɚəbˈɪlɪti/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
C1
property
1
appeal or attractiveness
how attractive or worth having something seems
Usage pattern:
the desirability of [something]; [something]'s desirability
Common mistake:
Desirability is usually uncountable. Do not use it to mean a personal wish; use desire instead.
Synonyms
appeal (more common and less formal; emphasizes attraction or interest)
|
attractiveness (often physical or visual, but can also mean general appeal)
|
value (emphasizes usefulness or worth more than attraction)
Antonyms
undesirability (the quality of being unwanted or not worth having)
|
unattractiveness (lack of appeal, especially visual or personal appeal)
Collocations
high desirability
|low desirability
|overall desirability
|perceived desirability
|sexual desirability
|market desirability
|increase desirability
|enhance desirability
|reduce desirability
|desirability of a location
Themes
value
|consumer_choices
|relationships
|marketing
Examples
- The neighborhood's good schools add to its desirability for young families.
- Designers tested which features would increase the car's desirability.
- The high rent reflects the desirability of apartments close to the station.
Learner examples
- The sea view increases the house's desirability.
- Price can affect the desirability of a product.
Noun
formal
C1
property
2
wisdom of a choice
how good, sensible, or useful a plan or action seems
Usage pattern:
the desirability of [doing something]; question/debate the desirability of [something]
Common mistake:
Do not say "I have desirability to do it." Say "I want to do it" or "I have a desire to do it."
Synonyms
advisability (emphasizes whether something is sensible or recommended)
|
wisdom (often used in the phrase "the wisdom of" a decision)
|
preferability (emphasizes being better than another option)
Antonyms
inadvisability (the quality of being unwise or not recommended)
|
undesirability (the quality of being unwanted, harmful, or not worth choosing)
Collocations
question the desirability
|debate the desirability
|assess the desirability
|evaluate the desirability
|economic desirability
|political desirability
|practical desirability
|relative desirability
|desirability of reform
|desirability of change
Themes
decision_making
|policy
|business
|planning
Examples
- The committee questioned the desirability of raising fees during a cost-of-living crisis.
- Economists disagree about the desirability of strict rent controls.
- Before adopting the software, the team assessed the desirability of moving all data to the cloud.
Learner examples
- We discussed the desirability of changing the rules.
- The report asks about the desirability of a new tax.
Grammar
Dictionary form
desirability
IPA
GB/dɪzˌaɪɚəbˈɪlɪti/
US/dɪzˌaɪɚəbˈɪlɪti/
Syllables & stress
de - sirab - il - ity (4 syllables)
Stress on 4th syllable (ity)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: desirability
- Plural: desirabilities, desirability
Expressions
social desirability
1/sˈoʊʃəl dɪzˌaɪɚəbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
technical
social approval value
how acceptable or impressive something seems to other people
Examples
- Questions about income and personal habits often have high social desirability attached to certain answers.
- The study measured whether participants chose responses with greater social desirability.
- Public support may reflect the social desirability of appearing environmentally responsible.
social desirability bias
1/sˈoʊʃəl dɪzˌaɪɚəbˈɪlɪti bˈaɪəs/
fixed phrase
technical
pressure toward approved answers
the problem that people may give answers that make them look good instead of giving completely honest answers
Examples
- Anonymous questionnaires can reduce social desirability bias.
- People may underreport drinking or drug use because of social desirability bias.
- The researchers adjusted their interpretation of the results to account for social desirability bias.