Synonym Chooser

How is the word worldly distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words earthly and mundane are common synonyms of worldly. While all three words mean "belonging to or characteristic of the earth," 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

When could earthly be used to replace worldly?

Although the words earthly and worldly have much in common, earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.

abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

In what contexts can mundane take the place of worldly?

While in some cases nearly identical to worldly, mundane suggests reference to the immediate and practical.

a mundane discussion of finances

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of worldly During the Cannes Film Festival, a melting pot of worldly accents can be heard gossiping at beach clubs, waiting on movie queues and shouting at wild afterparties — but one rang most excited, the gleeful Italian cadence of Marco Calvani. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 May 2025 Members of the second live according to self-love and seek worldly power. Alejandro Antonio Chafuen, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 But after loading all her worldly possessions into the back of Sam’s decaying van-cab, what should have been a simple fare becomes a wild, late-night odyssey. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 May 2025 Experiencing new cultures, unique attractions, indigenous cuisine and never-before-tried activities are all part of the worldly adventure. Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for worldly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worldly
Adjective
  • The Geneva–Lausanne region offers a unique blend of access to alpine adventure, lakeside leisure and cosmopolitan living.
    Lysanne Currie, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
  • But Howard notes even this was part of turning sections of a city into public, cosmopolitan spaces that incorporated both people of different social status and ideas from around the world.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • In more mundane incidents during a flight, sitting near an emergency exit would allow passengers to disembark sooner than others.
    Colson Thayer, People.com, 18 June 2025
  • When in doubt, let machines hurdle the mundane—but save critical decisions, emotional moments and nuanced interactions for humans.
    Joel Frenette, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Designer Rosanna Bossom and new owner Tara MacBain have blended a sophisticated touch with the exuberance of the 1970s in what was once a sort of gentlemen’s club, and that is now open to everyone, with an alfresco terrace emphasizing its unwavering attachment to the neighborhood.
    Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • With a clean ring pattern in a range of sophisticated colors, these sets achieve a summer-ready trifecta: crisp, cool, and utterly transportive.
    Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • The people who had higher negativity bias were found to have reduced blood flow in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes — regions critical for decision-making, memory and emotional regulation, according to Amen.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
  • Stories offer a generosity of space—temporal, emotional, political—that real-time clinical work does not.
    Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • This model reshapes terrestrial manufacturing, enabling real-time diagnostics, predictive maintenance and rapid iteration.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • But SpaceX has also had to build large ground stations around the world, known as gateways, to pipe data into space from the terrestrial Internet.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • But balance and mobility require physical activity -- even in the lightest form.
    Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
  • Before security personnel are even assembled, the U.S. will need to take a detailed look at the situation, both the wider political context and the immediate physical concerns around the embassy.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • His earthly travails were soul-sapping and then some.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
  • The Yoruba people believe that the Osun-Osogbo grove, which sprawls across 185 acres of dense forest, is the goddess Osun’s earthly home.
    Ogar Monday, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Worldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worldly. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

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