worthy
adjective
having adequate or great merit, character, or value.
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worthy
1 American
[wur-thee]
/ ˈwɜr ði /
adjective
worthier,
worthiest
-
having adequate or great merit, character, or value.
a worthy successor.
-
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
-worthy
2
American
worthy
British
/ ˈwɜːðɪ /
adjective
-
(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
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; see origin at worth 1, -y 1
Explanation
Use the adjective worthy to describe the good causes to which you donate a little money each year. Their admirable qualities are what make them worthy. Something that deserves respect is worthy, whether it's a charity, a hard working tennis opponent, or a struggle to overcome a disability. If it's worth your admiration or has some inherent value, it's worthy. The word has been around since the thirteenth century, and it was especially common in the 1300's to use worthy as a noun meaning "person of merit."
Vocabulary lists containing worthy
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 4
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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.
Rosenblatt’s play, though formulaic at times, contains a twist worthy of Dahl himself, as the protagonist grows more monstrous as he digs deeper into his righteous convictions.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
El-Sayed became worthy of Fox News headlines but also more centrist criticism in the Atlantic.
From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026
Retiring at 55 is a worthy goal, but the cost of healthcare on the open market will be a major monthly shock to your system.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
The drippings, on that first night, don’t go to waste: they’re coaxed into something worthy of the occasion, slicked over potatoes or spooned onto rice, greener and more herb-laced than you might expect.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
“What’s an hour drive when it comes to showing my support for such a worthy cause?”
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.