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.
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
He added: "It's not up there, yet, with the Harry Potter or Stranger Things prequels but, on balance, the Game of Thrones franchise has yet another worthwhile and lucrative spin-off on its hands."
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
For these targets, the energy required for the full journey may be low enough to make mining and delivery worthwhile.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
What’s left when everything worthwhile has been consumed, dark powder for the wind to take.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
