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Synonyms

worthwhile

American  
[wurth-hwahyl, -wahyl] / ˈwɜrθˈʰwaɪl, -ˈwaɪl /

adjective

  1. such as to repay one's time, attention, interest, work, trouble, etc..

    a worthwhile book.

    Synonyms:
    beneficial, rewarding, valuable

worthwhile British  
/ ˌwɜːθˈwaɪl /

adjective

  1. sufficiently important, rewarding, or valuable to justify time or effort spent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of worthwhile

First recorded in 1865–70; worth 1 + while

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.

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