Word
worthwhile
Phoneticsworth·while, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwɝθˈwaɪɫ/
UK/wˈɜːθwaɪl/
日本語有意義※
Españolde valor
Definition
adj. useful, important, or good enough to be a good use of your time, money, or effort.
adj. sufficiently valuable, important, or rewarding to justify the time or effort spent. Often follows a linking verb or precedes a noun.
Examples
“The long hike was difficult, but the view made it worthwhile.”
“Volunteering at the local shelter is a worthwhile way to spend your weekends and help the community.”
“While the initial investment is substantial, the long-term environmental benefits make the transition to solar energy a worthwhile endeavour for most homeowners.”
Examples
simple
“The long hike was difficult, but the view made it worthwhile.”
contextual
“Volunteering at the local shelter is a worthwhile way to spend your weekends and help the community.”
complex
“While the initial investment is substantial, the long-term environmental benefits make the transition to solar energy a worthwhile endeavour for most homeowners.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “worthwhile” in context.
Verb
01. consider it worthwhile
“The committee did not consider it worthwhile to pursue the matter further.”
verb + noun + adj
02. deem the investment worthwhile
“Analysts deem the investment worthwhile despite the initial high costs.”
verb + noun + adj
03. prove worthwhile
“The extra hours of training proved worthwhile when she won the gold medal.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. worthwhile cause
“All the proceeds from the auction will go to a very worthwhile cause.”
adj + noun
05. worthwhile to note
“It is worthwhile to note that the demographics have shifted significantly since the last census.”
adj + infinitive
Adverb
06. eminently worthwhile
“Preserving these historical documents is an eminently worthwhile endeavor.”
adv + adj
07. potentially worthwhile
“The team is currently evaluating several potentially worthwhile projects.”
adv + adj
08. thoroughly worthwhile
“The three-day workshop was thoroughly worthwhile for everyone involved.”
adv + adj
Usage
Commonly follows 'it is' or 'it's' as a dummy subject (e.g., 'It is worthwhile to check').
Pitfall
a worth while project
a worthwhile project
Learners often mistakenly split the word into two parts; it is a single compound adjective.
Real-World Examples
“Our scientific evidence demonstrates previous management efforts have made an impact at scale—and that current and future efforts are worthwhile.” “One reason is that banks and investors often lack reliable data and effective tools to assess which climate projects are genuinely worthwhile and secure.” “For these targets, the energy required for the full journey may be low enough to make mining and delivery worthwhile.” “For those remaining 400 cases, the researchers computed every worthwhile trade-off between competing arrangements, allowing the game to instantly identify the true maximum score.” Etymology
From worth (adjective) + while (noun).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/worthwhile
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0