worthy

1 of 3

adjective

wor·​thy ˈwər-t͟hē How to pronounce worthy (audio)
worthier; worthiest
1
a
: having worth or value : estimable
a worthy cause
b
: honorable, meritorious
worthy candidates
2
: having sufficient worth or importance
worthy to be remembered
worthily adverb
worthiness noun

worthy

2 of 3

noun

plural worthies
: a worthy or prominent person

-worthy

3 of 3

adjective combining form

1
: fit or safe for
a seaworthy vessel
2
: of sufficient worth for
a newsworthy event

Examples of worthy in a Sentence

Adjective Your donations will be going to a worthy cause. I consider him a worthy opponent. She is a worthy successor to the mayor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Dueling strikes in 2023 by the actors' and writers' guilds, while worthy, threw a wrench into film production and distribution. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Hakone, Japan While not as romanticized for cherry-blossomed strolls as its neighbor, Kyoto, Hakone is a worthy day trip from Tokyo, offering an intimate escape from city travel in the most relaxing way possible: hot springs resorts. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 Jared Harrison-Hunte also very likely will retain his rotation spot, though Middle Tennessee transfer Marley Cook could provide worthy competition for a starting spot. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 The samples were sufficient to convince me the cake was worthy. The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 But the fundamental question Niebuhr raised—how liberal states can reconcile worthy ends with the unsavory means needed to attain them—is timeless. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 But two new properties are providing worthy lodging for those who dare wish for world-class hospitality alongside their desire for exceptional guides and virgin powder on precipitous slopes. Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2024 That's because almost all of them — in addition to those on its surrounding channel islands, like Catalina — have worthy attributes. Adeline Duff, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2024 Articles have tried to explain the difference, including a worthy piece recently in The Wall Street Journal. Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
Noun
Ranged about him is a sculpted gallery of Communism’s great dictators, many of whom, like Lenin, had to be hoisted gasping out of the mud, along with a sprinkling of other worthies. Christopher Helman, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2023 And again, the Wednesday dance is time-capsule worthy. Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2023 To Maris, Judge is the only one worthy of standing alongside his father in the record book. David Waldstein, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2022 One worthy of a few training camp cheers. Listen to previous podcasts and stay up-to-date on future pods by subscribing on Apple podcasts or on Spotify. Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 30 July 2022 Whether an all-time great or a utility player, Vin Scully treated each player as an individual worthy of dignity and respect, never ridicule. Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2022 Unfortunately, the Celtics stayed consistent only in producing third-quarter bleeding worthy of triage. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2022 But gifts for kids that age can be tricky, and finding one worthy of a graduation can be even tougher. Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 9 May 2022 The vast majority don’t make it onto the Vatican’s list of those worthy of belief. San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'worthy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worthy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near worthy

Cite this Entry

“Worthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worthy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

worthy

1 of 2 adjective
wor·​thy ˈwər-t͟hē How to pronounce worthy (audio)
worthier; worthiest
1
a
: having worth or value
a worthy cause
b
: honorable sense 1
worthy candidates
2
: having enough value or excellence
a student worthy of the prize
worthily adverb
worthiness noun

worthy

2 of 2 noun
plural worthies
: a worthy person

More from Merriam-Webster on worthy

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