What does worthy mean?
Worthy is an adjective that describes someone or something deserving of respect, trust, attention, or a particular status. In modern use it is often paired with “of”: a plan worthy of consideration, an opponent worthy of respect, or a record worthy of the effort involved. It can also characterize a person as respectable, upright, or suited to a role, though this older sense may sound formal or traditional. The word carries a positive tone rather than a neutral one, suggesting both moral quality and an appropriate match between someone and what they have done. It is not simply another way to say valuable: a task may be valuable because it is useful, whereas an achievement is worthy when it merits praise. Nor is worthy the same as worthwhile, which usually means that an activity is worth doing. Worthy is therefore especially useful when the focus is on deserved recognition or the fitness of a person, action, or result.
Deserving of respect, praise, trust, attention, or a specified standard or treatment; suitable or respectable.
"The research findings are worthy of close attention."
Commonly used with “of” followed by a noun or gerund.
A person of high worth, importance, or distinction.
"He was a local worthy whose advice was often sought."
Rare and archaic; the noun survives chiefly in the plural “worthies,” as in “civic worthies.”
Applies only to the rare, archaic noun; it is most often encountered in the plural.
"Several civic worthies attended the ceremony."
Worthy and worship share a root: the old word behind worship literally combined “worth” with “shape.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does worthy come from?
The modern form developed in Middle English as worthi, continuing Old English weorþe and wyrthe, adjectives meaning “having worth” or “estimable.” The base survives independently in worth and also underlies compounds such as worship and worshipful. Related Germanic cognates include Old Norse verðr and Old Frisian worth.
Related word forms
How worthy is actually used
The word is usually formal or elevated in tone. In modern standard English, it commonly takes the construction “worthy of” followed by a noun or gerund; used independently, it more often means respectable or morally upright.
Easily confused with worthy
Worth is a noun meaning value or an adjective meaning having a stated value, whereas worthy is an adjective meaning deserving respect or a specified status.
Worthy means deserving or respectable, while wordy means using more words than is necessary or useful.