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 Parked nearby is a grocery cart filled with his worldly processions. Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025 Cecile is worldly and has seen her share of sorrow, while Fanny has been cloistered in this elaborate old castle under the watchful eye of an over-protective mother and eccentric grandmother. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025 In addition to being a formidable businessman, Armani is credited with breathing new life into menswear and creating a new system of dressing for women, marrying Italian leggerezza with worldly references (China was a frequent reference point) and becoming synonymous with timeless elegance. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2025 Shannon McLaren infuses her fashion experience and worldly perspective into Prairie Interiors, her Newport Beach firm. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for worldly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worldly
Adjective
  • Traders, artists and thinkers from Europe and the Middle East passed through here, and that constant exchange shaped a culture that’s curious, adaptable and deeply cosmopolitan.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Cultured, cosmopolitan, generally liberal, the Dohnányis and the Bonhoeffers represented the best of the German-speaking bourgeois tradition.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Because the Dolce Vita runs on regular Italian tracks, there are occasional pauses for more mundane events like engine swaps, traffic snarlups and delays.
    Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
  • In the video, Rosalía goes back and forth between mundane errands wihile the entire orchestra follows her around at home, at the doctor, at a coffee shop, and more.
    Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But in 2013, with the availability of more sophisticated tools for fossil analysis, Archer wondered if further examination of that bone might uncover clues that had been overlooked previously.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
  • In one of the multi-hyphenate's most recent posts, Paltrow shared a glimpse of her new clothing line, tagging the brand Gwyn in her caption and wearing a sophisticated, tan cashmere sweater that immediately caught our eye.
    Melony Forcier, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This temporal displacement frees Pynchon to offer sidelong commentary on contemporary politics without getting trapped in the flux of the present or being too on the nose.
    Jack Denton, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
  • To practice ‘future temporal focused’ networking, create a timetable and ask yourself key questions.
    Sarah Maokosy, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Having exhausted our terrestrial destination, humanity is now reaching for extraterrestrial ones.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Instead of running physical cables that connect your home or RV to the greater internet, Starlink uses a series of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that communicate between your home dish and a terrestrial gateway somewhere else on Earth.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Santos Jimenez remains in good physical shape, with Debbie Jimenez noting that her father-in-law would likely be going for a walk after the interview.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • But his unconventional and physical style of play as a 6-foot-2, 235-pound quarterback is what endears him to them on the field.
    Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Ordinary matter makes up everything from the cosmic (planets and stars) to the earthly (people and trees).
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Worldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worldly. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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