Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

worldly

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of worldly

1 having a wide and refined knowledge of the world especially from personal experience

  • she returned from her year as an exchange student a much more worldly person
Synonyms of worldly

cosmopolitan, smart, sophisticated, worldly-wise
Words Related to worldly

suave, urbane

civilized, cultivated, cultured, polished, refined

experienced, knowing, practiced, schooled, seasoned

bored, cynical, jaded, skeptical

down-to-earth, pragmatic (also pragmatical), realistic, sober
Near Antonyms of worldly

callow, green, inexperienced, raw

parochial, provincial, rustic (also rustical)

philistine, uncivilized, uncultured, unrefined

childlike, simple, simpleminded

idealistic, impractical

uncritical, unknowing
Antonyms of worldly

guileless, ingenuous, innocent, naive (or naïve), unsophisticated, untutored, unworldly, wide-eyed

2 having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven

  • preoccupied with worldly concerns
Synonyms of worldly

carnal, earthborn, earthbound, earthly, fleshly, material, mundane, sublunary, temporal, terrene, terrestrial
Words Related to worldly

animal, bodily, corporal, corporeal, physical

daily, diurnal

unspiritual

anthropic (or anthropical), anthropocentric
Near Antonyms of worldly

celestial, Elysian, empyreal, empyrean, supernal

metaphysical

devotional, divine, religious, sacred, spiritual, utopian

extraterrestrial

ethereal, supernatural, transcendent, transcendental
Antonyms of worldly

heavenly, nontemporal, unearthly, unworldly

Synonym Discussion of worldly

earthly, worldly, mundane mean belonging to or characteristic of the earth. earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.
    • abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent
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
and mundane suggesting reference to the immediate and practical.
    • a mundane discussion of finances

Learn More about worldly

  1. Dictionary: Definition of worldly Spanish Central: Translation of worldly Nglish: Translation of worldly for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up worldly? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games