worth
preposition
good or important enough to justify (what is specified).
worth
1 American
[wurth]
/ wɜrθ /
preposition
-
good or important enough to justify (what is specified).
advice worth taking;
a place worth visiting.
-
having a value of, or equal in value to, as in money.
This vase is worth 12 dollars.
-
having property to the value or amount of.
They are worth millions.
noun
-
excellence of character or quality as commanding esteem.
women of worth.
-
usefulness or importance, as to the world, to a person, or for a purpose.
Your worth to the world is inestimable.
-
value, as in money.
-
a quantity of something of a specified value.
ten cents' worth of candy.
-
wealth; riches; property or possessions.
net worth.
idioms
-
for all one is worth, to the utmost.
He ran for all he was worth.
-
for what it’s worth, whether or not (what is stated) is useful or important enough to justify.
For what it’s worth, I think you should apologize to him.
worth
2
American
[wurth]
/ wɜrθ /
verb (used without object)
Archaic.
Worth
3
American
[wurth]
/ wɜrθ /
noun
worth
1
British
/ wɜːθ /
adjective
-
worthy of; meriting or justifying
it's not worth discussing
an idea worth some thought
-
having a value of
the book is worth 30 pounds
-
to the utmost; to the full extent of one's powers or ability
-
extremely helpful, kind, etc
noun
-
high quality; excellence
-
value, price
-
the amount or quantity of something of a specified value
five pounds worth of petrol
Worth
2
British
/ wɜːθ, vɔrt /
noun
worth
3
British
/ wɜːθ /
verb
worth
More Idioms
Synonym Usage
Etymology
Origin of worth1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English weorth, worth, wurth; cognate with Old High German werd, Old Frisian werth, Old Norse verthr, Gothic wairths
Origin of worth2
First recorded before 900; Middle English worthen, Old English wurthan, weorthan, wyrthan; cognate with German werden, Old Norse vertha, Gothic wairthan “to become,” Latin vertere “to turn”; see verse
Explanation
The noun worth refers to the monetary value of something. If your grandmother gives you a strange old coin from her collection, you can have it appraised to determine its worth. The noun worth also means the inherent value of something based on the qualities of excellence, usefulness or importance. Don't underestimate your worth to the group; the whole bake sale would have fallen apart without you, and your brownies were delicious. As an adjective worth describes something that has a value or deserves to be treated a certain way, like when your hard work baking is worth the effort.
Vocabulary lists containing worth
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 4
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"Sonnet 116"
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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:
Choi Jin-wook, a 35-year-old office worker in Seoul, bought $37,000 worth of shares in South Korean memory-chip giant SK Hynix in July, thinking prices had to bounce back from a summertime selloff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
Researchers have long known that it helps the brain recognize experiences worth repeating.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026
At the crown court hearing in Mansfield, Reason admitted taking £87,174.05, along with €1,620 and £114 worth of Albanian lek.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
“Furniture is one of the categories worth watching during the holiday sales season, as retailers typically offer promotions on big-ticket home purchases, including sofas, sectionals and living room furniture,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026
Maybe for Dad, publishing a book his father would hate was worth it, because of all the people it’s impacting.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The campaign couldn’t immediately be reached for comment following Worth Girvan’s announcement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
Worth Girvan and Gaspar were virtually tied on election night Tuesday, but on Thursday Worth Girvan began pulling ahead as more mail-in ballots were counted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
PUF contributed $66 million for a new building on its Fort Worth campus that features classrooms and lab space for its healthcare and teacher education programs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
During Texas campaign stops in Fort Worth, Texarkana and Tyler, for example, Talarico almost appeared to be running against Musk instead of Paxton.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
With an on-the-job training program, he has made Sepia a model, edited, printed and distributed from the million-dollar Fort Worth plant.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
