Synonyms of worldly-wise

worldly-wise

adjective

ˈwərl(d)-lē-ˌwīz 

as in sophisticated

having a wide and refined knowledge of the world especially from personal experience

her long career as a globe-trotting journalist has made her very worldly-wise

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sophisticated
• cosmopolitan
• worldly
• smart
• civilized
• polished
• bored
• cynical
• pragmatic
• cultured
• experienced
• sober
• seasoned
• urbane
• pragmatical
• suave
• realistic
• cultivated
• skeptical
• jaded
• knowing
• refined
• practiced
• schooled
• down-to-earth

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• naive
• naïve
• unsophisticated
• ingenuous
• guileless
• innocent
• unworldly
• untutored
• inexperienced
• green
• provincial
• callow
• parochial
• raw
• rustic
• wide-eyed
• childlike
• simple
• uncultured
• idealistic
• unrefined
• uncivilized
• simpleminded
• impractical
• uncritical
• rustical
• unknowing
• philistine

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective worldly-wise differ from other similar words?

The words blasé and sophisticated are common synonyms of worldly-wise. While all three words mean "experienced in the ways of the world," worldly-wise suggests a close and practical knowledge of the affairs and manners of society and an inclination toward materialism.

a worldly-wise woman with a philosophy of personal independence

When can blasé be used instead of worldly-wise?

The meanings of blasé and worldly-wise largely overlap; however, blasé implies a lack of responsiveness to common joys as a result of a real or affected surfeit of experience and cultivation.

blasé travelers who claimed to have been everywhere

Where would sophisticated be a reasonable alternative to worldly-wise?

In some situations, the words sophisticated and worldly-wise are roughly equivalent. However, sophisticated often implies refinement, urbanity, cleverness, and cultivation.

guests at her salon were usually rich and sophisticated

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of worldly-wise

Crucially, they are grounded in real-world experiences, from a recent exchange with worldly-wise restaurant waitresses in Bordeaux exemplifying trust and collaboration, to the coaching of top CEOs over the past 20 years. —Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Heather Alicia Simms and Vanessa Bell Calloway are both sharp, witty, and poignant without sentimentality as the play’s two matriarchal figures, the formidable Missy Judson and Idella Landy, the wry, worldly-wise housekeeper who essentially raised Charlie. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 June 2024

Parroni does a good job of balancing the way that adolescents veer from experimenting with a worldly-wise cynicism and dipping back into the wildness of childhood. —Catherine Bray, Variety, 9 Sep. 2023

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