worthwhile

worthwhile — adjective

1. Something that is worthwhile gives you enough benefit or satisfaction to make th

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Something that is worthwhile gives you enough benefit or satisfaction to make the time, money, or energy that you spent on it feel fair and sensible.

Example

Darius felt the three-month training was worthwhile when he got a promotion.

worthwhile in predicative position after 'be'

Is it worthwhile to spend so much on a handbag that you rarely use?

it + be + worthwhile + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • worthwhile investment
  • worthwhile cause
  • worthwhile experience
  • worthwhile effort
  • worthwhile project
  • worthwhile activity
  • find something worthwhile
  • make it worthwhile
Synonyms
  • valuable

    Emphasises usefulness or importance rather than the balance of effort versus reward; a 'valuable lesson' is important, but not necessarily costly.

  • rewarding

    Focuses on the personal satisfaction gained from doing something; a job can be rewarding even if it pays little.

  • beneficial

    Highlights a positive effect or advantage, often in health, skills, or relationships, without the idea of sacrifice or investment.

Antonyms
  • pointless

    Suggests that an activity has no purpose or effect at all, making the effort completely wasted.

  • useless

    Describes something that fails to achieve any practical result or serve any function.

Grammar Patterns

it + be + worthwhile + to-infinitive

it + be + worthwhile + gerund

worthwhile + noun

find + noun/gerund + worthwhile

Usage Note

Frequently used in the patterns 'it is worthwhile to do something' and 'it is worthwhile doing something'. When used attributively before a noun, it describes the noun itself as worth the investment (e.g. 'a worthwhile cause'). Distinguish from 'worth', which takes a gerund directly ('worth watching'), whereas 'worthwhile' acts as a full adjective that can appear before a noun ('a worthwhile film').

Common Mistakes

This book is worthwhile reading.
This book is worth reading.
'worth' directly takes a gerund; 'worthwhile' as a lone adjective before a gerund is ungrammatical.
I think it is a worth experience.
I think it is a worthwhile experience.
'worth' cannot be placed before a noun as an adjective; use 'worthwhile' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe something positive, but they differ in what they emphasise. 'Worthwhile' focuses on the balance between what you put in (time, money, effort) and what you get out; a course is worthwhile if the knowledge gained justifies the cost. 'Valuable' stresses inherent usefulness or importance — a 'valuable lesson' may cost nothing in money but be deeply instructive. 'Rewarding' highlights emotional or personal satisfaction; volunteer work can be rewarding even when it is exhausting. 'Beneficial' points to a practical improvement or advantage, such as exercise that is beneficial to your health. For example: 'The training programme was worthwhile because it improved my career prospects.' 'The advice my grandfather gave me was valuable beyond measure.' 'Teaching young children can be very rewarding.' 'Drinking more water is beneficial for your skin.'

worthwhile ↗valuable ↗rewarding ↗beneficial ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a worthwhile thing to do
  • worthwhile spending time
  • make it worthwhile for someone

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

'Worthwhile' comes from the phrase 'worth one's while', where 'while' originally meant 'time' or 'effort spent' (as in 'worth the time'). The phrase dates back to the 1600s, and by the 1800s it had fused into the single compound adjective 'worthwhile'. Both parts are from Old English: 'worth' from 'weorþ' (meaning 'of value') and 'while' from 'hwīl' (meaning 'a period of time').