unworthy
Americanadjective
-
not worthy; lacking worth or excellence.
- Antonyms:
- commendable, admirable, deserving
-
beneath the dignity (usually followed byof ).
behavior unworthy of a king.
-
of a kind not worthy (often followed byof ).
- Synonyms:
- ignoble, unsuitable, unfit, unseemly
-
not of adequate merit or character.
- Synonyms:
- ignoble, unsuitable, unfit, unseemly
-
not commendable or creditable.
-
not deserving.
noun
-
unworthies
plural
adjective
-
(often foll by of) not deserving or worthy
-
(often foll by of) beneath the level considered befitting (to)
that remark is unworthy of you
-
lacking merit or value
-
(of treatment) not warranted or deserved
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of unworthy
Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at un- 1, worthy
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:
Yet the fact that a dictum such as “choose kindness” works as a standalone thought does not make it unworthy of development.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
A second friendly defeat in four days was no calamity since it came on the back of an admirable performance, unworthy of booing.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026
The CHP deemed the creative handiwork unworthy and cited the driver with a fine of $197 for driving without a proper license plates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2025
Because scientific advances don’t discriminate between the “worthy” and those considered unworthy, and because some in the billionaire class think they deserve to live much longer than you do.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2025
And now there’s this cute guy who I just automatically feel unworthy of.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Hollow-eyed, gaunt, gorgeously ravaged – Mourinho was already in the habit of using his increasingly odd post-match press conferences to rail against the moles, traitors, cowards and unworthies inside his own dressing room.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 17, 2015
These unworthies were slammed for their books, which he declared “rubbish” and “awful.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 26, 2012
But they were destined to hear more from these two unworthies, and in a most unusual fashion.
From The Rover Boys Under Canvas or The Mystery of the Wrecked Submarine by Edward Stratemeyer
These two unworthies discussed the resurrection of Fairfax, the place of the confab being O'Connor's tackle-room and the time being the night following the fourth straight victory of the Curry colours as borne by Eliphaz.
From Old Man Curry Race Track Stories by Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan
These two unworthies had done their best to get on friendly terms with some of the girls, but had been snubbed in such a manner that it made them much crestfallen.
From The Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch The Cowboys' Double Round-Up by Edward Stratemeyer
For I believe in some future life for the lower animals as well as for their unworthier lord; and in the immortality of all creation.
From My Life as an Author by Martin Farquhar Tupper
The obstinate calumny of his scepticism served as a pretext to the King's conscience for the unworthier instinct of personal dislike.
From Sir Walter Ralegh A Biography by W. (William) Stebbing
It was as Margaret Fuller that she took her place among the leading spirits of her time, and made her brave crusade against its unworthier features.
From Margaret Fuller (Marchesa Ossoli) by Julia Ward Howe
The title-page gives a London publisher as well as an Anglo-Athenian one, and Mrs. Johnstone benevolently adapted her labours to her countrywomen and the unworthier Southrons alike.
From Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine by William Carew Hazlitt
Ah! that passage of childhood, what a void it makes in the growing heart; and how quietly its place is filled by unworthier influences.
From The Doctor's Daughter by [pseud.] Vera
Dare to profane with his unworthiest hand that.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
That thy lifes too meane To satisfie the unworthiest of the Campe For the effusion of a loyall drop.
From A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 4 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) Bullen
To Godefroy's threats the Indian answered that "white-man talk—not true—of all," pointing to Jack Battle, "him no friend great white chief—him captive——" Then Godefroy burst out with the unworthiest answer that ever passed man's lips.
From Heralds of Empire Being the Story of One Ramsay Stanhope, Lieutenant to Pierre Radisson in the Northern Fur Trade by Agnes C. (Agnes Christina) Laut
Degree being vizarded, Th' unworthiest shows as fairly in the mask.
From Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare
There is no wonder, therefore, that he should at the time have been accused of being actuated by the unworthiest of reasons, and that the charge should continue to be repeated to our day.
From Library of the World's Best literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 12 by Various
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.
