ENGLISH
REFERENCE

worthwhile

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈwɝθˈwaɪɫ// UK //wˈɜːθwaɪl// worth·while

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.


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.

Origin

From worth (adjective) + while (noun).

Usage

Commonly follows 'it is' or 'it's' as a dummy subject (e.g., 'It is worthwhile to check').

Pitfall

a worth while projecta worthwhile projectLearners often mistakenly split the word into two parts; it is a single compound adjective.

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