worthy

worthy — adjective

1. having good qualities that make other people think well of you and want to back

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

having good qualities that make other people think well of you and want to back you — used of a person, cause, or action.

Example

Jude spent years doing volunteer work for several worthy causes in Kenya.

collocation: worthy cause

The committee agreed that Christopher was a worthy candidate for the teaching position.

Common collocations
  • worthy cause
  • worthy winner
  • worthy candidate
  • worthy opponent
  • worthy successor
  • worthy goal
  • worthy effort
  • worthy recipient
Synonyms
  • deserving

    more direct about earning something through action; 'a deserving student'

  • admirable

    focuses on inspiring admiration rather than objective worth; 'an admirable effort'

  • laudable

    more formal, used for actions and efforts; 'a laudable attempt to reduce waste'

  • meritorious

    formal, typically in professional or academic contexts; 'meritorious service'

Antonyms
  • unworthy

    direct opposite, lacking the qualities that deserve respect; 'an unworthy successor'

  • disreputable

    having a bad reputation, the opposite of admirable; 'a disreputable organization'

Grammar Patterns

worthy + noun

worthy of + noun

Common Mistakes

He is a worth person.
He is a worthy person.
'worthy' is the adjective form; 'worth' is a preposition or noun, not an adjective.

2. deserving to receive attention, consideration, or a particular response because

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

deserving to receive attention, consideration, or a particular response because of inherent importance or interest.

Example

Professor Okonkwo believed the discovery was worthy of a full research paper.

pattern: worthy of + noun phrase

Ilan felt that the old woman's story was worthy of a book.

Common collocations
  • worthy of attention
  • worthy of consideration
  • worthy of mention
  • worthy of note
  • worthy of respect
  • worthy of praise
  • worthy of notice
  • worthy of study
Synonyms
  • deserving of

    interchangeable in most cases; 'deserving of a prize'

  • meriting

    more formal, used in academic and legal writing; 'meriting further investigation'

  • warranting

    suggests that something justifies or calls for a response; 'a situation warranting immediate action'

Grammar Patterns

worthy of + noun phrase

worthy of + being + past participle

Usage Note

This sense is almost always followed by 'of' + noun phrase; it rarely appears directly before a noun. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'worthy' directly modifies the noun (e.g., 'a worthy cause').

3. having good moral or practical qualities but lacking excitement, creativity, or

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

having good moral or practical qualities but lacking excitement, creativity, or entertainment value — often used of books, films, or speeches.

Example

Inês found the documentary worthy but far too slow for her taste.

The novel was worthy and carefully researched yet failed to excite readers.

contrast structure: worthy but [negative outcome]

Common collocations
  • worthy but dull
  • worthy but boring
  • worthy effort
  • worthy sentiments
  • worthy intentions
Synonyms
  • well-meaning

    similar tone but focuses on intention rather than outcome; 'a well-meaning but dull lecture'

  • earnest

    suggests sincere effort; can be positive or imply over-seriousness

  • respectable

    acknowledges quality without enthusiasm; 'a respectable but uninspired performance'

Antonyms
  • exciting

    opposite in terms of engagement; 'an exciting film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats'

  • thrilling

    strong opposite, generating excitement and interest

Grammar Patterns

worthy + noun

be + worthy

Usage Note

Often carries a mildly negative or disappointed tone — the speaker acknowledges value but finds the result unengaging. Common with cultural products (films, books, lectures).

4. having the right qualities or importance to match a particular role, opponent, o

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

having the right qualities or importance to match a particular role, opponent, or situation — for example, a competitor who is as strong as you are, or a successor who carries on your work well.

Example

The young boxer proved himself a worthy opponent in the championship final.

collocation: worthy opponent

Bilal showed he was a worthy successor to the previous team captain.

collocation: worthy successor

Common collocations
  • worthy opponent
  • worthy successor
  • worthy heir
  • worthy adversary
  • worthy champion
  • worthy contender
  • worthy fight
  • worthy mate
Synonyms
  • well-matched

    specifically about two things being equal in ability; 'a well-matched pair of fighters'

  • suitable

    more general, no implication of equality; 'a suitable candidate'

  • fitting

    suggests something is appropriate in a satisfying way; 'a fitting tribute'

Antonyms
  • unsuitable

    not having the right qualities for a role; 'an unsuitable candidate'

  • unequal

    not matched in ability or strength; 'an unequal contest'

Grammar Patterns

worthy + noun

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1, this sense does not imply moral approval — it simply states that someone or something is suitable or well-matched to a particular role or situation. Frequently found in sports, competition, and succession contexts.

worthy — adjective combining form

worthy — noun

worthy — suffix

Word family

  • worth
    preposition / nounA2
  • worthless
    adjectiveB1
  • worthwhile
    adjectiveB1
  • unworthy
    adjectiveC1
  • worthiness
    nounC1
  • trustworthy
    adjectiveB2
  • praiseworthy
    adjectiveC1
  • creditworthy
    adjectiveC1
  • seaworthy
    adjectiveB2
  • airworthy
    adjectiveC1
  • roadworthy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe people or actions that others view positively, but they differ in register and emphasis. 'Worthy' is the most versatile and common — it covers people, causes, and efforts that earn respect ('a worthy recipient'). 'Deserving' is more direct and transactional: it implies that something has been earned through effort or merit, often with an object ('a deserving student who studied hard'). 'Admirable' focuses on the feeling of admiration it creates in observers rather than on objective worth ('an admirable attempt'), and is slightly more emotional. 'Laudable' is more formal and used almost exclusively for actions or intentions ('a laudable effort to reduce carbon emissions'). 'Praiseworthy' is a stronger positive judgment, typically applied to moral actions ('praiseworthy honesty in reporting the error'). 'Meritorious' is the most formal of the group, common in professional and academic settings ('meritorious service'), and is rarely used in everyday conversation. For everyday contexts, 'worthy' and 'deserving' are safest; for formal writing, 'laudable' or 'meritorious' fit better.

deservingadmirable ↗laudablepraiseworthymeritorious

Common collocations

Nouns

  • worthy cause
  • worthy goal
  • worthy effort
  • worthy candidate
  • worthy winner
  • worthy recipient
  • worthy opponent
  • worthy successor

Adverbs

  • truly worthy
  • eminently worthy
  • perfectly worthy
  • wholly worthy
  • certainly worthy

Phrases

  • worthy of note
  • worthy of mention
  • worthy of attention
  • worthy of respect
  • worthy of consideration

Prepositions

  • worthy of

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'worthy' comes from Old English 'weorþig', meaning 'having worth or value'. It is formed from 'weorþ' (worth, value, meaning) plus the suffix '-ig' (which later became '-y'), giving the sense of 'full of worth'. This is the same root word that gives us 'worth', 'worship' (literally 'worth-ship', the condition of being worthy of respect), and the German 'würdig'. The sense of 'deserving' appeared very early in its history, and the use as a noun ('worthies') dates from the 14th century. The combining form (as in 'seaworthy') began appearing in the 17th century.