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.
(postpositive; often foll by of or an infinitive) having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving
having worth, value, or merit
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.”
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; see origin at worth 1, -y 1
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."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But his art is a worthy interpretation and celebration of the classical inheritance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
To which she replies in savvy screwball fashion worthy of Carole Lombard: “Be sure of that — two other husbands.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The takeover saga has been a drama worthy of a Hollywood film itself.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Reddit threads tout the film as a modern classic, measured against the standard “The Exorcist” set, and more formal writing draws worthy comparisons between Linda Blair’s unforgettable performance and newcomer Inde Navarrette’s work in “Obsession.”
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
I am looking for something that will prove that I am a worthy rover.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
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 Walpole, Horace
On the face of it, little connects the mutton-chopped worthies who built places like Saltaire and Bournville with the tech bros of Silicon Valley.
From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2022
The worthies of Westeros vow their loyalty to Rhaenyra as royal successor.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2022
Other worthies such as Adam and the Ants and James Ingram were shut down in this category.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2022
An uncomplicated, comfort-zone paean to the Irish communist Jimmy Gralton, whose brand of free-thinking is too much for the local worthies in 1930s Ireland.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 17, 2019
‘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
"Nothing is worthier than human life, specifically young life."
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2025
Extensive development work is being conducted to give old clothes and textiles a worthier end.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2024
It’s become a cliché to praise a filmmaker for loving his characters, as if doing so made said characters worthier of our interest, or if humanism were an inherent artistic virtue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2023
“Nobody ever asks,” Mr. Eisenberg wrote, “whether his money should go to worthier causes.”
From Washington Post ● Oct. 22, 2022
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
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.
