worthwhile

adjective

worth·​while ˈwərth-ˈ(h)wī(-ə)l How to pronounce worthwhile (audio)
1
: being worth the time or effort spent
worthwhile preparations
2
: worthy sense 1
a worthwhile cause
worthwhileness noun

Examples of worthwhile in a Sentence

The money is for a worthwhile cause. Seeing my children's joy made building the tree house all worthwhile. Is it worthwhile to try to fix my computer?
Recent Examples on the Web And despite enduring prolonged lockdowns, the list of worthwhile restaurants has multiplied over the years. Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2023 Surely there’s enough money in the treasury to pay for such worthwhile efforts. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2023 The Rubbermaid's self-wringing system and scouring head make this mop a worthwhile purchase for households with tough, stuck-on messes. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023 The personal feedback convinced Mamat that the experiment was worthwhile, no matter what the data showed. Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Sep. 2023 All of this is in stark contrast to the complaints of artists, most of whom don’t make any worthwhile money from streaming at all and have escalated various copyright fights for publishing credits to get paid for radio play to absurd levels. Nilay Patel, The Verge, 18 Sep. 2023 Other worthwhile stops along the trail include The Hangar Taproom and Bottle Shop and Sidellis, known for the oversize homemade Bavarian pretzels with beer cheese and their famous French dip. By sunset, Sunset Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023 This velvet sofa bed is such a worthwhile investment. Matthew Parker, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2023 Data privacy laws protecting UK residents make this form more worthwhile for people who live in the UK. Reece Rogers, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'worthwhile.' 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

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of worthwhile was in 1662

Dictionary Entries Near worthwhile

Cite this Entry

“Worthwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worthwhile. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

worthwhile

adjective
worth·​while ˈwərth-ˈhwī(ə)l How to pronounce worthwhile (audio)
-ˈwī(ə)l
1
: being worth the time or effort spent
worthwhile preparations
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!