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Synonyms

worthy

1 American  
[wur-thee] / ˈwɜr ði /

adjective

worthier, worthiest

  1. having adequate or great merit, character, or value.

    a worthy successor.

  2. of commendable excellence or merit; deserving of one's time, attention, interest, work, trouble, etc..

    a book worthy of praise;

    a person worthy to lead.
    Synonyms:
    honorable, upright, exemplary, excellent, estimable, worthwhile, meritorious, deserving

noun

plural

worthies

  1. a person of eminent worth, merit, or position.

    The town worthies included two doctors.
-worthy 2 American  

  1. 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.

worthy British  
/ ˈwɜːðɪ /

adjective

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

  2. having worth, value, or merit

"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

noun

  1. facetious a person of distinguished character, merit, or importance

"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

Usage

What does -worthy mean? The combining form -worthy is used like a suffix meaning “deserving of,” "fit for," or "capable of travel in or on." It is occasionally used in a variety of everyday and technical terms. The form -worthy comes from Old English -wyrðe, meaning “worthy.”

Other Word Forms

  • preworthily adverb
  • preworthy adjective
  • worthily adverb
  • worthiness noun

Etymology

Origin of worthy

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; worth 1, -y 1

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.

A true one-club hero, a worthy number one on this list.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

“The bottom line,” he said, “is trust” — vouching that an article is credible and worthy of a reader’s time.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

In Wilson, she has a subject who actually seems worthy of study, and a viewer’s time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“Tow” is a reminder that small films often contain big performances, and that acting is an art that shouldn’t be dismissed simply because a movie isn’t entirely worthy of its star.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

If he had only wounded Lincoln, then the president, even at fifty-six years old, would have been a worthy opponent.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

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.