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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"Lindo Jong: Double Face"
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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:
Why it’s worth seeing: The wacky inventiveness Wilson brought to his genius HBO show, “How to With John Wilson,” permeates the film.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Why it’s worth seeing: “La Bola Negra” is a throwback to the kind of emotional film Hollywood now rarely takes a risk on—that’s why it’s destined to be in Oscar contention.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Blatant foul on Matheus Cunha earned a booking but probably worth it as it stopped the Brazilian racing into the box.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
I would not necessarily improve an afternoon at the Montrose Bird Sanctuary by having someone stationed at the exit to hand me a receipt: You saw $46 worth of warblers today.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
All he did was walk around in my figures and mess things up until I couldn’t tell what the monkeys were worth.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Likewise, Paxton valued a 42-acre plot of undeveloped land in Johnson County, south of Fort Worth, at between $15,001 and $50,000 last year.
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026
One passenger received medical attention on site and was released after American Airlines Flight 2398 - coming from Atlanta, Georgia - landed at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas on Friday.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Gaspar has a huge lead in fundraising, reporting more than $180,000 in donations to his runoff campaign through June 30, compared with about $31,000 for Worth Girvan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Later this year it will travel to Milwaukee, and in 2027 to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Minnie had told her sister, Anna, of the transfer of the Fort Worth land, and now Holmes sensed that Anna was becoming suspicious of his true intentions.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
