enviable
Americanadjective
-
worthy of envy; very desirable.
an enviable position.
- Synonyms:
- lucky, fortunate, advantageous
adjective
-
exciting envy; fortunate or privileged
Usage
What does enviable mean? Enviable means very desirable. It’s especially used to describe things that a person has and that other people want—or a person that other people want to be like.In other words, enviable means worthy of or likely to cause envy—a feeling of desire for something that someone else has and you do not. Envy is also a verb meaning to have feelings of envy toward someone, and enviable is formed from this verb.Envy is not a good feeling—it can be described as a mix of admiration and discontent. Enviable is often used to describe things that are so good that other people will naturally want them (and might even get a little envious or jealous).The opposite of enviable is unenviable, which is typically used to describe tasks or positions that no one wants, as in He was given the unenviable task of making sure everyone paid on time. Example: It’s an enviable position, with a lot of perks, so naturally we have many applicants.
Other Word Forms
- enviableness noun
- enviably adverb
- nonenviable adjective
- nonenviableness noun
- nonenviably adverb
- unenviable adjective
- unenviably adverb
Etymology
Origin of enviable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is an enviable demographic bulge, the kind that powered East Asia's economic miracles.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
The seven-part limited series, which aired its second episode Sunday, subverts expectations at every turn, from its peculiar characters to the layered storytelling of writer-showrunner-director Steven Conrad to the nuanced performances of an enviable cast.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
He argues that these hard-hit software companies have enviable mature businesses, with thousands of enterprise customers and contracts stretching over years.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026
In his seven-figure Olympian existence, we can step out of our solitary pining into an enviable characterization, one that is seldom offered to characters that look and love like us.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026
Mine and Yakov’s were nearest to the window, an enviable location during summer but terribly cold and drafty during winter.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.