If a person or thing is unworthyof something good, they do not deserve it.
[literary]
You may feel unworthy of the attention and help people offer you.
He felt unworthy of being married to such an attractive woman. [+ of]
Synonyms: undeserving, not good enough, not fit, not worth More Synonyms of unworthy
2. adjective
If you say that an action is unworthyof someone, you mean that it is not a nice thing to do and someone with their reputation or position should not do it.
[literary]
Miss Melville could not resist asking, although she knew it was unworthy of her.
His accusations are unworthy of a prime minister. [+ of]
Synonyms: unbefitting, beneath, unfitting to, unsuitable for More Synonyms of unworthy
More Synonyms of unworthy
unworthy in British English
(ʌnˈwɜːðɪ)
adjective
1. (often foll by of)
not deserving or worthy
2. (often foll by of)
beneath the level considered befitting (to)
that remark is unworthy of you
3.
lacking merit or value
4.
(of treatment) not warranted or deserved
Derived forms
unworthily (unˈworthily)
adverb
unworthiness (unˈworthiness)
noun
unworthy in American English
(ʌnˈwɜrði)
adjectiveWord forms: unˈworthier or unˈworthiest
1.
lacking merit or value; worthless
2.
not deserving
often with of
3.
not fit or becoming
usually with of
a remark unworthy of a gentleman
4.
not deserved or warranted
Derived forms
unworthily (unˈworthily)
adverb
unworthiness (unˈworthiness)
noun
Word origin
ME
Examples of 'unworthy' in a sentence
unworthy
They are publicly branded with the degrading suspicion of being utterly unworthy of the name of citizens, and their business arrangements interrupted without warning.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Otherwise you could end up feeling unworthy of the love of a decent man.
The Sun (2016)
How they look has been deemed unworthy of comment.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The unworthy thought occurred to me that this great actor might be bored.
The Times Literary Supplement (2008)
You may feel unworthy of the attention and help people offer you.
Wallace, Louise M & Bundy, Christine Coping with Angina (1990)
Not to come because you feel unworthy is a denial of the gospel.
Christianity Today (2000)
You frequently feel unloved and unworthy.
The Sun (2012)
Naturally such a person was unworthy of any serious study, especially anything to do with politics or power.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They found that they belong on this stage, three weeks after they were deemed unworthy of such lofty company.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But neither shall any unworthy person covet after it, where none is permitted to be but he who is worthy.
Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995)
I renounce all such unworthy thoughts.
Malcolm Balen A VERY ENGLISH DECEIT: The Secret History of the South Sea Bubble and the First GreatFinancial Scandal (2002)
I feel unworthy of her friendship.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The governing body reviewed scenes involving the pair that were captured in a video, but have deemed their actions unworthy of sanction.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This can be a problem if you have a tendency to worry a lot about putting people out, or feel unworthy of favours.
French, Barbara Coping with Bulimia (1987)
I suppose there's a part of me that feels unworthy of happiness and love.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
These people have often had a difficult childhood, lack self-esteem and feel unworthy.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The unworthy thought often strikes me, with his work, that little of it is actually necessary.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He manages to solve the era's arms race in ten seconds flat, but then deems us unworthy of our planet.
The Sun (2016)
That was the one point when I wondered if he used plants, only to dismiss the thought as unworthy.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
unworthy
British English: unworthy ADJECTIVE
If a person or thing is unworthy of something good, they do not deserve it.
You may feel unworthy of the attention and help people offer you.
American English: unworthy
Brazilian Portuguese: indigno
Chinese: 不值得的
European Spanish: indigno
French: indigne
German: unwürdig
Italian: indegno
Japanese: 値しない
Korean: 자격이 없는
European Portuguese: indigno
Latin American Spanish: indigno
1 (adjective)
Definition
not deserving or meriting
You may feel unworthy of the attention and help people offer you.
Synonyms
undeserving
not good enough
not fit
not worth
ineligible
not deserving
Opposites
fit
,
deserving
,
worthy
,
eligible
,
meritorious
2 (adjective)
At the start of the film, the heroine is betrayed by an unworthy friend.
Synonyms
dishonourable
He insisted he had done nothing dishonourable.
base
Love has the power to overcome the baser emotions.
contemptible
Her husband is a contemptible little man.
It was an utterly contemptible thing to do.
degrading
a degrading experience
disgraceful
I complained about his disgraceful behaviour.
shameful
It is a shameful state of affairs.
disreputable
the noisiest and most disreputable bars
ignoble
an ignoble episode from their country's past
discreditable
She had been suspended from her job for discreditable behaviour.
Opposites
honourable
,
commendable
,
creditable
3 (adjective)
Definition
beneath the level considered befitting (to)
His accusations are unworthy of a prime minister.
Synonyms
unbefitting
beneath
unfitting to
unsuitable for
inappropriate to
improper to
out of character with
out of place with
unbecoming to
unseemly
It would be unseemly for judges to receive pay increases.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of base
Definition
dishonourable or immoral
Love has the power to overcome the baser emotions.
Synonyms
dishonourable,
evil,
corrupt,
infamous,
disgraceful,
vulgar,
shameful,
vile,
immoral,
scandalous,
wicked,
sordid,
abject,
despicable,
depraved,
ignominious,
disreputable,
contemptible,
villainous,
ignoble,
discreditable,
scungy (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of contemptible
Definition
deserving to be despised or hated
Her husband is a contemptible little man.It was an utterly contemptible thing to do.
Synonyms
despicable,
mean,
low,
base,
cheap (informal),
worthless,
shameful,
shabby,
vile,
degenerate,
low-down (informal),
paltry,
pitiful,
abject,
ignominious,
measly (informal),
scurvy (old-fashioned),
detestable,
odious
in the sense of degrading
a degrading experience
Synonyms
demeaning,
lowering,
humiliating,
disgraceful,
shameful,
unworthy,
debasing,
undignified,
contemptible,
cheapening,
dishonourable,
infra dig (informal)
Synonyms of 'unworthy'
unworthy
Explore 'unworthy' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of discreditable
She had been suspended from her job for discreditable behaviour.
Synonyms
disgraceful,
shameful,
improper,
scandalous,
humiliating,
infamous,
degrading,
unworthy,
reprehensible,
ignominious,
unprincipled,
dishonourable,
blameworthy
in the sense of disgraceful
I complained about his disgraceful behaviour.
Synonyms
shameful,
shocking,
scandalous,
mean,
low,
infamous,
degrading,
unworthy,
ignominious,
disreputable,
contemptible,
dishonourable,
detestable,
discreditable,
blameworthy,
opprobrious
in the sense of disreputable
Definition
having or causing a bad reputation
the noisiest and most disreputable bars
Synonyms
discreditable,
mean,
low,
base,
shocking,
disorderly,
notorious,
vicious,
infamous,
disgraceful,
shameful,
vile,
shady (informal),
scandalous,
ignominious,
contemptible,
louche,
unprincipled,
dishonourable,
opprobrious
in the sense of ignoble
Definition
dishonourable
an ignoble episode from their country's past
Synonyms
dishonourable,
low,
base,
mean,
petty,
infamous,
degraded,
craven,
disgraceful,
shabby,
vile,
degenerate,
abject,
unworthy,
shameless,
despicable,
heinous,
dastardly (old-fashioned),
contemptible,
wretched
in the sense of shameful
Definition
causing or deserving shame
It is a shameful state of affairs.
Synonyms
disgraceful,
outrageous,
scandalous,
mean,
low,
base,
infamous,
indecent,
degrading,
vile,
wicked,
atrocious,
unworthy,
reprehensible,
ignominious,
dastardly (old-fashioned),
unbecoming,
dishonourable
in the sense of unseemly
Definition
not according to expected standards of behaviour
It would be unseemly for judges to receive pay increases.