worthwhile
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of worthwhile
Explanation
Things that are worthwhile are good — they're worth the time or money you spend on them. If you walked out of the theater and said "Wow, I'm glad I saw that movie!", then your film viewing trip was worthwhile. If going to the gym helped you get in better shape, it was worthwhile. If hanging out in the park made you happy, it was worthwhile. If something is a total waste of time and you wish you hadn't done it, then it wasn't worthwhile.
Vocabulary lists containing worthwhile
Because of Mr. Terupt
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List 9
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"The Ugly One," Vocabulary from Chapters 21-25
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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.
In regions where insects were less abundant and harder to collect in large quantities, they may simply have become less worthwhile as a food source over time.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
Alcaraz should make those influencer selfies slightly more worthwhile, even if a three-figure grounds pass won’t get you near his matches in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“After a variety of shocks in the last three years, you can argue that the investment has proven more worthwhile than people thought.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Puricelli said he has enjoyed trying out several premium formats in his life, but found that the theater itself can determine whether the upgrade is worthwhile.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
Considering this fact, it might be worthwhile to take a familiar question—why is there so much crime in modern society?—and stand it on its head: why isn’t there a lot more crime?
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
