WORTHY (worthier, worthiest)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: worthier    , worthiest   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does worthy mean? 

• WORTHY (noun)
  The noun WORTHY has 1 sense:

1. an important, honorable person (word is often used humorously)

  Familiarity information: WORTHY used as a noun is very rare.

• WORTHY (adjective)
  The adjective WORTHY has 3 senses:

1. having worth or merit or value; being honorable or admirable

2. worthy of being chosen especially as a spouse

3. having qualities or abilities that merit recognition in some way

  Familiarity information: WORTHY used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WORTHY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An important, honorable person (word is often used humorously)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

local worthies rarely challenged the chief constable

Hypernyms ("worthy" is a kind of...):

important person; influential person; personage (a person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events)

Derivation:

worthy (having worth or merit or value; being honorable or admirable)

• WORTHY (adjective)

Comparative: worthier   
Superlative: worthiest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having worth or merit or value; being honorable or admirable

Context example:

a worthy cause

Similar:

worthwhile (sufficiently valuable to justify the investment of time or interest)

valuable; worthful (having worth or merit or value)

precious; valued (held in great esteem for admirable qualities especially of an intrinsic nature)

summa cum laude (with highest honor; with the highest academic distinction)

sacred (worthy of respect or dedication)

quotable (suitable for or worthy of quotation)

meritable; meritorious (deserving reward or praise)

magna cum laude (with high honor; with high academic distinction)

exemplary; model (worthy of imitation)

deserving; worth ((often used ironically) worthy of being treated in a particular way)

cum laude (with honor; with academic distinction)

creditable (worthy of often limited commendation)

applaudable; commendable; laudable; praiseworthy (worthy of high praise)

Also:

valuable (having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange)

righteous (characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice)

honorable; honourable (worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect)

good (morally admirable)

estimable (deserving of respect or high regard)

Attribute:

worthiness (the quality or state of having merit or value)

Antonym:

unworthy (lacking in value or merit)

Derivation:

worth (the quality that renders something desirable or valuable or useful)

worthiness (the quality or state of having merit or value)

worthy (an important, honorable person (word is often used humorously))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Worthy of being chosen especially as a spouse

Synonyms:

desirable; suitable; worthy

Context example:

the parents found the girl suitable for their son

Similar:

eligible (qualified for or allowed or worthy of being chosen)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Having qualities or abilities that merit recognition in some way

Context example:

a fact worthy of attention

Similar:

fit (meeting adequate standards for a purpose)

 Context examples 

They are a set of very worthy men.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

As for me, I am not worthy in His sight.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Oh, Gennaro, how wonderful you are! What woman could ever be worthy of such a man?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

What think you of it, my worthy Captal?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Only I'm not worthy of it?

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I know this to be the truth; and most worthy of you are such feelings.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

“Mrs. Heep is here, sir,” said Traddles, returning with that worthy mother of a worthy son.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I shall fight for the honour, and because I wish to be thought worthy of being matched against Jem Belcher.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There were no more animals with which to fight—at least, there was none considered worthy of fighting with him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I escaped from them to the room where lay the body of Elizabeth, my love, my wife, so lately living, so dear, so worthy.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)