Definition of worldly
1 : of, relating to, or devoted to this world and its pursuits rather than to religion or spiritual affairs
2 : worldly-wise
worldliness
nounFrom the M-W Editors
Examples of worldly in a Sentence
She is more worldly than her younger sister.
she returned from her year as an exchange student a much more worldly person
Recent Examples of worldly from the Web
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But a moment’s reflection should tell us that military leaders have the same worldly ambitions as other mortals.
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A callow country lad falls for a worldly widow in the second big-screen version of My Cousin Rachel, Daphne du Maurier's brilliantly ambiguous tale of attraction and suspicion in Victorian-era England.
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An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963.
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During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset and refrain from food, water and any worldly pleasures.
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There was the other-worldly Chana De Wolf, thin beyond belief, who presented on cryonics.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'worldly'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before 12th Century
First Known Use of worldly
before 12th century
Synonym Discussion of worldly
WORLDLY Defined for English Language Learners
worldly
playDefinition of worldly for English Language Learners
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: of or relating to the human world and ordinary life rather than to religious or spiritual matters
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: having a lot of practical experience and knowledge about life and the world
WORLDLY Defined for Kids
worldly
playDefinition of worldly for Students
worldlier
;worldliest
1 : of or relating to the affairs of life rather than with spiritual affairs They lost all their worldly possessions in the fire.
2 : worldly-wise
worldliness
nounLearn More about worldly
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for worldly Spanish Central: Translation of worldly Nglish: Translation of worldly for Spanish speakers
Seen and Heard
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