worthy
adjective
having adequate or great merit, character, or value.
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worthy
1 American
[wur-thee]
/ ˈwɜr ði /
adjective
-
worthier,
comparative
-
worthiest
superlative
-
having adequate or great merit, character, or value.
a worthy successor.
-
of commendable excellence or merit; deserving of one's time, attention, interest, work, trouble, etc..
a book worthy of praise;
a person worthy to lead.
- Synonyms:
- honorable, upright, exemplary, excellent, estimable, worthwhile, meritorious, deserving
noun
-
worthies
plural
-worthy
2
American
worthy
British
/ ˈwɜːðɪ /
adjective
-
(postpositive; often foll by of or an infinitive) having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving
-
having worth, value, or merit
noun
Usage
What does -worthy mean? The combining form -worthy is used like a suffix meaning “deserving of,” "fit for," or "capable of travel in or on." It is occasionally used in a variety of everyday and technical terms. The form -worthy comes from Old English -wyrðe, meaning “worthy.”
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of worthy
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; see origin at worth 1, -y 1
Explanation
Use the adjective worthy to describe the good causes to which you donate a little money each year. Their admirable qualities are what make them worthy. Something that deserves respect is worthy, whether it's a charity, a hard working tennis opponent, or a struggle to overcome a disability. If it's worth your admiration or has some inherent value, it's worthy. The word has been around since the thirteenth century, and it was especially common in the 1300's to use worthy as a noun meaning "person of merit."
Vocabulary lists containing worthy
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"While these changes will take time to deliver their full benefit, they will help to ensure that the club prepares pitches worthy of the ground's reputation."
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
That means the monologue was deemed worthy of airing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Fixing France’s public finances is a worthy goal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
It’s a veritable feast for the ears, and “My Aim Is True” is a worthy subject for all of the attendant attention.
From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2026
Now “the great collaboration” was truly an alliance worthy of its name.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Her childhood gave her ample evidence that finding a man was not the answer to the riddle of a woman’s life, and the last thing she envisioned for herself was a Disney -worthy fairy tale.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 17, 2018
I wish I could muster up some -worthy contrarianism, but I’m right there with those guys.
From Slate ● Mar. 6, 2013
They are not, as you will imagine, at all like the pictures in the Shakspeare Gallery: no; they are -worthy of Dryden.
From The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 by Horace Walpole
Mr. Bonds is as friendly as a whistling postman and, more than that, a baseball genius, according to testimonies from such worthies as Don Mattingly and Dusty Baker.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
After meeting the local worthies and unveiling plaques on visits, he always seems relieved to head into the crowds outside.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2024
The answer, my worthies, is that it is nowhere to be found in the Constitution.
From Salon ● May 14, 2022
Other worthies such as Adam and the Ants and James Ingram were shut down in this category.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2022
‘Very ridiculous of you, Frodo! But I wish I had been there to see. The worthies of Bree will be discussing it a hundred years hence.’
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
But instead Andrew remained part of the Royal Family, appearing at national events, at cross-purposes to the worthier efforts of his elder brother.
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026
What’s worthier: the news story that matters now or the storytelling that pushes documentary filmmaking into the future?
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
Extensive development work is being conducted to give old clothes and textiles a worthier end.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2024
Through the miracle of technology, transhumanists believe that the human species must orchestrate its obsolescence so that some worthier, digitized human form might emerge, phoenix-like from its shadow.
From Slate ● Jan. 26, 2023
In the meantime, Harry Potter’s well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Among his worthiest financial prescriptions is to marry well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
However while Musk and Altman have been focused on each trying to prove themselves the worthiest custodians of AI in court, their rivals have raced ahead.
From BBC ● May 19, 2026
From the truth about her mysterious marriage to suicidal thoughts, a kiss with Tupac and the joys of ayahuasca, here are the worthiest revelations from “Worthy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2023
It is why Hall was deemed the worthiest of Olympic champions.
From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2022
Though it was a forbidden love, still he felt it to be the worthiest thing about him, and the purest, and the deepest.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
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