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
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.
The problem with covering Clavicular is not that he is unworthy of attention.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
The low-grade layer—which the previous owners hit and deemed unworthy of mining—was the type of primary sulfide ore Rio seeks to unlock with Nuton.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 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
The systemic anonymizing and blurring of anyone accused without proof of being a gang leader and terrorist is one way to render them unworthy of our concern.
From Slate • May 21, 2025
I knew they considered me unworthy of my place.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
