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
“Who are you to call me unworthy or despicable when you don’t even know me!!” she wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
The problem with covering Clavicular is not that he is unworthy of attention.
From Salon ● Apr. 6, 2026
"I sabotage myself by not asking for help with anything. Asking for equipment, advice or resources feels terrifying. Like I'm unworthy."
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2025
Ugwu felt stained and unworthy as he went about his new duties after the priests left—distributing garri, breaking up fights, supervising the scorched and failing farms.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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
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
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
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
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
In the qualities of a ruler he was conspicuously deficient; always dependent on others, he ever inclined to the unworthier master.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 10 "Echinoderma" to "Edward" by Various
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
Dare to profane with his unworthiest hand that.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
In her eyes there was that sweet light of expectation and happiness which illuminated all Gabriel's thoughts of her, and persuaded him that he was the happiest and unworthiest of men.
From Trumps by George William Curtis
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
In vain he accosted her in the humblest and most repentant manner, calling himself the unworthiest of mankind, and entreating to be allowed to love her.
From Stories from the Italian Poets: with Lives of the Writers, Volume 2 by Torquato Tasso
I know it would cost you a wrench to take me, a greater wrench than to take the least and the unworthiest of your own people.
From Strange Stories by Grant Allen
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.
