worthy
worthy — adjective
1. having good qualities that make other people think well of you and want to back
having good qualities that make other people think well of you and want to back you — used of a person, cause, or action.
Jude spent years doing volunteer work for several worthy causes in Kenya.
collocation: worthy cause
The committee agreed that Christopher was a worthy candidate for the teaching position.
Hannah donated a large part of her savings to worthy charities helping homeless families.
Nala received a worthy award for her work with young children after the earthquake.
- deserving
more direct about earning something through action; 'a deserving student'
- admirable
focuses on inspiring admiration rather than objective worth; 'an admirable effort'
- laudable
more formal, used for actions and efforts; 'a laudable attempt to reduce waste'
- meritorious
formal, typically in professional or academic contexts; 'meritorious service'
- unworthy
direct opposite, lacking the qualities that deserve respect; 'an unworthy successor'
- disreputable
having a bad reputation, the opposite of admirable; 'a disreputable organization'
文法句型
worthy + noun
worthy of + noun
常見錯誤
2. deserving to receive attention, consideration, or a particular response because
deserving to receive attention, consideration, or a particular response because of inherent importance or interest.
Professor Okonkwo believed the discovery was worthy of a full research paper.
pattern: worthy of + noun phrase
Ilan felt that the old woman's story was worthy of a book.
Sirin's opinion on the housing plan is worthy of serious attention from city leaders.
That small detail may be worthy of closer examination later in the investigation.
- deserving of
interchangeable in most cases; 'deserving of a prize'
- meriting
more formal, used in academic and legal writing; 'meriting further investigation'
- warranting
suggests that something justifies or calls for a response; 'a situation warranting immediate action'
文法句型
worthy of + noun phrase
worthy of + being + past participle
用法筆記
This sense is almost always followed by 'of' + noun phrase; it rarely appears directly before a noun. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'worthy' directly modifies the noun (e.g., 'a worthy cause').
3. having good moral or practical qualities but lacking excitement, creativity, or
having good moral or practical qualities but lacking excitement, creativity, or entertainment value — often used of books, films, or speeches.
Inês found the documentary worthy but far too slow for her taste.
The novel was worthy and carefully researched yet failed to excite readers.
contrast structure: worthy but [negative outcome]
Caio's speech was full of worthy ideas but lacked any real passion.
The exhibition was worthy in content but used boring displays and poor lighting.
- well-meaning
similar tone but focuses on intention rather than outcome; 'a well-meaning but dull lecture'
- earnest
suggests sincere effort; can be positive or imply over-seriousness
- respectable
acknowledges quality without enthusiasm; 'a respectable but uninspired performance'
文法句型
worthy + noun
be + worthy
用法筆記
Often carries a mildly negative or disappointed tone — the speaker acknowledges value but finds the result unengaging. Common with cultural products (films, books, lectures).
4. having the right qualities or importance to match a particular role, opponent, o
having the right qualities or importance to match a particular role, opponent, or situation — for example, a competitor who is as strong as you are, or a successor who carries on your work well.
The young boxer proved himself a worthy opponent in the championship final.
collocation: worthy opponent
Bilal showed he was a worthy successor to the previous team captain.
collocation: worthy successor
Takeshi put up a worthy fight against the defending champion.
The old piano was a worthy instrument for a beginner learning to play scales.
- well-matched
specifically about two things being equal in ability; 'a well-matched pair of fighters'
- suitable
more general, no implication of equality; 'a suitable candidate'
- fitting
suggests something is appropriate in a satisfying way; 'a fitting tribute'
- unsuitable
not having the right qualities for a role; 'an unsuitable candidate'
- unequal
not matched in ability or strength; 'an unequal contest'
文法句型
worthy + noun
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense does not imply moral approval — it simply states that someone or something is suitable or well-matched to a particular role or situation. Frequently found in sports, competition, and succession contexts.
worthy — adjective combining form
1. used at the end of a word to mean 'good enough or safe enough to be used in a pa
used at the end of a word to mean 'good enough or safe enough to be used in a particular place or situation' — combines with nouns such as 'sea', 'road', or 'air'.
The mechanic said the old truck was no longer roadworthy.
compound: roadworthy
Only seaworthy ships are permitted to leave the harbour after the storm.
compound: seaworthy
The aircraft must be declared airworthy before every commercial flight.
Safety checks at the garage ensure every bus remains roadworthy for passengers.
- unseaworthy
opposite of seaworthy; not safe at sea
- unroadworthy
opposite of roadworthy; not safe to drive
文法句型
[noun] + worthy
用法筆記
Commonly forms compound adjectives: 'seaworthy' (safe at sea), 'roadworthy' (safe on the road), 'airworthy' (safe to fly). These words are typically used after verbs like 'be', 'remain', or 'declare'.
2. used at the end of a word to mean 'having enough good qualities to deserve somet
used at the end of a word to mean 'having enough good qualities to deserve something such as trust, praise, or credit' — combines with nouns like 'trust', 'praise', or 'credit'.
The bank only approves loans for creditworthy applicants with stable jobs.
compound: creditworthy
A trustworthy babysitter is hard to find in this neighbourhood.
compound: trustworthy
The local reporter produced a praiseworthy article about the hospital staff.
Investors look for creditworthy companies with steady earnings every year.
- untrustworthy
opposite of trustworthy; not deserving trust
- unworthy
general opposite; not deserving respect or attention
文法句型
[noun] + worthy
用法筆記
Forms compound adjectives such as 'trustworthy' (deserving trust), 'creditworthy' (deserving credit/financial trust), and 'praiseworthy' (deserving praise). Unlike sense 1 of this combining form, which is about physical safety in an environment, this sense is about moral or financial reliability.
worthy — noun
1. someone held in high regard within a community, especially a small town — often
someone held in high regard within a community, especially a small town — often used playfully or with mild humour.
The local worthies gathered at the town hall to discuss the new library project.
plural: local worthies
Several village worthies posed for a photograph outside the newly built clinic.
The town's worthies decided to invest in a new community sports centre.
A group of local worthies attended the charity dinner to show their support.
- dignitary
more formal and respectful, not humorous; 'diplomats and other dignitaries'
- notable
neutral tone, used for people of influence; 'local notables'
- bigwig
informal and slightly humorous like 'worthy', but wider in scope; 'media bigwigs'
- VIP
modern and widely used in business and events; 'VIP guests'
文法句型
the + worthies + of + place
local + worthies
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the plural form 'worthies'. The word can sound slightly old-fashioned or humorous — it is not commonly used in everyday conversation to refer to oneself or one's friends.
worthy — suffix
1. used after nouns such as 'praise', 'blame', 'note', or 'trust' to form adjective
used after nouns such as 'praise', 'blame', 'note', or 'trust' to form adjectives meaning 'deserving or receiving something specified' — for example, a praiseworthy action deserves praise, a noteworthy event is worth noting.
Lina's dedication to the community was truly praiseworthy and inspired other volunteers.
compound: praiseworthy
The researchers made a noteworthy discovery about how birds navigate long distances.
compound: noteworthy
His actions during the meeting were blameworthy and led to a formal complaint.
A trustworthy mechanic will explain what repairs are needed before charging you anything.
- deserving of
interchangeable; 'deserving of praise'
- meriting
more formal; 'meriting further investigation'
- unworthy of
direct opposite; 'unworthy of your attention'
文法句型
[noun] + worthy → compound adjective
常見錯誤
2. used to form adjectives that describe whether a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel is
used to form adjectives that describe whether a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel is in good enough condition to meet safety standards for a particular operating environment — for example, a ship that passes inspection is seaworthy, a car that passes safety checks is roadworthy.
The rescue boat was not seaworthy enough for the dangerous storm conditions.
compound: seaworthy (boat safety)
After extensive repairs, the delivery van was declared roadworthy by the mechanic.
compound: roadworthy (vehicle safety)
All passenger planes must be airworthy before they take off on any flight.
The fishing boat was fully seaworthy after the captain replaced the old engine.
- unseaworthy
direct opposite of seaworthy; not safe to sail; 'an unseaworthy vessel'
文法句型
[noun] + worthy
用法筆記
Forms compound adjectives such as 'seaworthy' (judged safe for sea travel), 'roadworthy' (judged safe to drive), and 'airworthy' (judged safe to fly). These words reflect a conditional judgment of readiness after inspection — whether the vehicle passes the relevant safety standards.