worthy

[wur-thee]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR worthy ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, wor·thi·er, wor·thi·est.

having adequate or great merit, character, or value: a worthy successor.

of commendable excellence or merit; deserving: a book worthy of praise; a person worthy to lead.

noun, plural wor·thies.

a person of eminent worth, merit, or position: The town worthies included two doctors.

Origin of worthy

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at worth¹, -y¹

Related formswor·thi·ly, adverbwor·thi·ness, nounpre·wor·thi·ly, adverbpre·wor·thi·ness, nounpre·wor·thy, adjective

Synonyms for worthy

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR worthy ON THESAURUS.COM

2. meritorious, worthwhile, estimable, excellent, exemplary, righteous, upright, honorable.

-worthy

a combining form of worthy, occurring in adjectives that have the general sense “deserving of, fit for” (blameworthy; newsworthy; noteworthy; trustworthy), “capable of travel in or on” (airworthy; roadworthy; seaworthy), as specified by the first word of the compound.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for worthy

noble, satisfying, worthwhile, admirable, reliable, excellent, desirable, valuable, honest, trustworthy, deserving, decent, laudable, true, sterling, good, pleasing, choice, upright, moral

Examples from the Web for worthy

Contemporary Examples of worthy

Dear Thief is worthy of the abused critical adjectives philosophical, atmospheric, and masterful.
A Novel Nearly Impossible to Review
Nicholas Mancusi
December 28, 2014
But there were moments of expected genius on it worthy of Grammy consideration.
10 Biggest Grammy Award Snubs and Surprises: Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus & More
Kevin Fallon
December 5, 2014
Political or not, shown in New York or Budapest, it is a worthy achievement composed with taste and subtlety.
In Hands of Hungarian Artist, Jewish Home Movies of the ’30s a Warning of Coming Holocaust
Daniel Genis
October 25, 2014
Well known for his inability to say no to worthy causes, Palmer has always been a whirlwind of good works.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up
Tom Boswell
September 27, 2014
Here, other women putter with practical cotton plaids, worthy of a school uniform.
Best Career Arc Ever: From Burlesque To Bartending
Anne Berry
September 13, 2014

Historical Examples of worthy

"I'll prove to you that I am worthy of your trust," she said with shining eyes.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus
Jessie Graham Flower
He says that some of the contes printed every day in the Journal are worthy of Maupassant.
Ballads of a Bohemian
Robert W. Service
Would it not be just worthy of him to have done so and never told one of his family!
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
With such teaching he must, he imagined, soon become her worthy equal.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
She prayed that he might always be as fond of her as he was then, and resolved to be worthy of him if she could.
In the Midst of Alarms
Robert Barr

British Dictionary definitions for worthy

worthy

adjective -thier or -thiest

(postpositive; often foll by of or an infinitive) having sufficient merit or value (for something or someone specified); deserving

having worth, value, or merit

noun plural -thies

often facetious a person of distinguished character, merit, or importance

Derived Formsworthily, adverbworthiness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for worthy

adj.

mid-13c., "having merit," from worth (n.) + -y (2). Old English had weorþful in this sense. Attested from c.1300 as a noun meaning "person of merit" (especially in Nine Worthies, famous men of history and legend: Joshua, David, Judas Maccabæus, Hector, Alexander, Julius Cæsar, Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon -- three Jews, three gentiles, three Christians).