worthier; worthiest
1
: good and deserving respect, praise, or attention
Your donations will be going to a worthy cause.
I consider him a worthy opponent.
She is a worthy successor to the mayor.
2
: having enough good qualities to be considered important, useful, etc.
—usually + of
Your achievements are worthy of respect. [=your achievements deserve respect]
The suggestion is worthy of consideration.
Her latest book is worthy of mention.
My girlfriend's parents felt that I wasn't worthy of her. [=felt that I was not good enough to be her boyfriend]
—sometimes followed by to + verbThe voters will decide if he is worthy to become governor.
plural worthies
: an important or respected person
—often used in a joking or disapproving way to refer to people who think of themselves as important
The party was attended by the mayor and a large group of local worthies.
Cite this Entry
“Worthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/worthy. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
