worldly

adjective world·ly \ ˈwər(-ə)ld-lē , ˈwərl-lē \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: worldly in a Sentence

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

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worldliness

noun

See worldly defined for English-language learners

See worldly defined for kids

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

Federer exudes worldly charm, and Nadal melts your heart with his profound humility.

— andrew lawrence, The Atlantic, "What’s Going on With Novak Djokovic?," 30 June 2018
And the economic refugees fleeing Madiganistan with all their worldly goods on their backs, stared in wonder at the head, which was quite still.

— john kass, chicagotribune.com, "The Khan of Madiganistan keeps his head by severing another's," 7 June 2018
And, no, not even Michael Jordan was, at least by my eye and reckoning, although parsing LeBron vs. Michael rather than simply celebrating the other-worldly majesty of both is like arguing Beethoven or Mozart while the symphony plays.

— greg cote, miamiherald, "Here's why, win or lose in NBA Finals, it's time to call LeBron James the greatest ever," 30 May 2018
As the evacuees bid a hasty goodbye to their worldly goods, the soldiers knocked down their homes to prevent them returning, and shot their cattle and pets.

— fred pearce, Time, "How the 'Compulsive Secrecy’ of the Atomic Age Has Changed the Way We Think," 22 May 2018
For those in the Federalist camp, encouraging education and the modest enjoyment of worldly goods would help build an enlightened society.

— keith stavely and kathleen fitzgerald, Smithsonian, "What America’s First Cookbook Says About Our Country and Its Cuisine," 12 Jan. 2018
In recent years, Rimowa has become shorthand for a certain kind of worldly world traveler.

— sam schube, GQ, "Magazine," 16 June 2018
Her fresh flavors and worldly approach were part of Cranks’ attempt to update its brown-ricey brand for the nineties.

— julia tausch, Bon Appetit, "'The Cranks Bible' Is the Only Vegetarian Cookbook I'll Ever Need," 13 June 2018
Cliff Caruthers’ other worldly sound design casts a subtle tension over the married couple’s awkward patter.

— marcus crowder, San Francisco Chronicle, "Athol Fugard’s apartheid drama ‘Lesson From Aloes’ in S.F. just brilliant," 8 June 2018

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.

First Known Use of worldly

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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worldly Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of worldly

earthly, worldly, mundane mean belonging to or characteristic of the earth. earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.

- abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification

- worldly goods

and mundane suggesting reference to the immediate and practical.

- a mundane discussion of finances

WORLDLY Defined for English Language Learners

worldly

adjective

Definition of worldly for English Language Learners

: of or relating to the human world and ordinary life rather than to religious or spiritual matters
: having a lot of practical experience and knowledge about life and the world