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 In a half, KU fans got a glimpse of everything that makes Daniels an other-worldly talent — and everything that’s kept him from reaching his ceiling along the way. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2025 For millennia, curious souls have examined a range of worldly phenomena, from the palm of the hand to moldy cheese, to prophesy supernatural knowledge about their fates. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2025 The aristocratic designer often drew upon his worldly childhood experiences–Pucci produced clothing, upholstery, living room accessories, purses, shoes, and clothing that reflected all this exposure, print-packed and vivacious. Essence, 14 Aug. 2025 This new reading revises not only the phrases quoted in the sermon, but also the entire Song of Wade, centering the hero amid worldly dangers rather than mythical beasts. Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for worldly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worldly
Adjective
  • Vy Nguyen, taking the reins of the family label, brought not just youth, but a cosmopolitan sensibility honed by nearly a decade of experience in New York’s fashion ecosystem.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Imports make cities and fanbases more cosmopolitan.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Thoughts of all the beautiful, mundane, familiar things that make life so sweet had turned sour in my ominous fortune-telling.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
  • On the face of it, data migration is one of those mundane but necessary IT tasks—the process of moving data from one place to another.
    Carl D'Halluin, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Boiled down in a cauldron using traditional methods, the sulfate-free formula bubbles up into a lovely lather that washes hands without stripping them (the glycerin, as well as coconut, olive, and sweet almond oils, are to thank) and fills the room with its sophisticated, Provençal scents.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Smart stability through clever control The key to this drone’s ability to stabilize is a sophisticated feedback controller.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Grey’s son, Loren Grey, restored his father’s original ending in the novel’s 1982 Pocket Books reprint, but the vanishing mythos remains intact, with the last of the tribe wistfully following Curtis’s Navajo into the temporal graveyard of the past.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Psychologists call this a temporal landmark, a point in time like a birthday or seasonal shift that can spark motivation to take on new challenges.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet until the samples can be studied in terrestrial labs, their significance remains uncertain.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Forests, the largest terrestrial carbon sinks in the world, are part of the solution.
    Ryan Gellert, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Farrell was a heavy favorite due to his complete physical transformation in The Penguin, becoming barely recognizable to play villainous Oswald.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • With a mix of humor and introspection, Turturro’s speech reflected on his experiences taking care of his late brother with mental challenges and physical illness.
    Andrew McGowan, Variety, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The rest of us are strolling into fall with an eye to earthly delights.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Though his earthly life has ended, his witness cannot be silenced.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Worldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worldly. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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