English Reference
Adjective

unworthy

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ənˈwɝði/ UK /ʌnwˈɜːði/ un·wor·thy UK spelling unworthies

adj.not deserving of respect, attention, or a particular honor. You use this to describe something that is not good enough for a specific person or situation.

adj.lacking in value, merit, or honor; not deserving of a particular status or treatment. Often used to describe actions or thoughts that fall below a person's moral standards.


SIMPLE

He felt unworthy of the award he received.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician dismissed the rumors as unworthy of a serious response from his office.

COMPLEX

She struggled with the persistent feeling that she was unworthy of her success, despite having worked harder than anyone else in the firm.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'of' and a noun phrase.


From Middle English unworthy, equivalent to un- + worthy.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English unworthy
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated