unworthy

adjective

un·​wor·​thy ˌən-ˈwər-t͟hē How to pronounce unworthy (audio)
1
a
: lacking in excellence or value : poor, worthless
2
: not meritorious : undeserving
unworthy of attention
3
: not deserved : unmerited
unworthy treatment
4
: inappropriate to one's condition or station
actions unworthy of a gentleman
unworthily adverb
unworthiness noun

Examples of unworthy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Along the way, the fact that Washington was pursuing such a worthy objective, against such an unworthy opponent, provided a certain comfort with the conflict’s ethical ambiguities. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The hedge fund billionaire has mounted a campaign to unseat Harvard’s first black female president, labeling her a diversity hire unworthy of the position. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 27 Dec. 2023 The fact that so many unworthy players went so far is simply too damning. 34. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2023 Anything less will confirm Joe Biden as a coward unworthy of being commander-in-chief. Greg Norman, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2024 Biden invoked Washington’s decision to resign his commission as the leader of the Continental Army after American independence was won — and the painting commemorating that moment that resides in the Capitol Rotunda — to cast Trump as unworthy of Washington’s legacy. Colleen Long, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2024 No, the Bidens are pure as the driven snow and all attempts to imply, much less prove, otherwise, arise from unworthy motives and can be ignored. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 7 Dec. 2023 Yes, Labor leaders had presided over a disastrous war and seemed unworthy of public trust. Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024 Henry’s investment was monumental: In an age when Black women were still dismissed as second-class citizens unworthy of basic human decency, buying the very plantation on which she was raised was an unheard-of success story. Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unworthy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of unworthy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near unworthy

Cite this Entry

“Unworthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unworthy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unworthy

adjective
un·​wor·​thy ˌən-ˈwər-t͟hē How to pronounce unworthy (audio)
ˈən-
: lacking in excellence or worth : undeserving
unworthily adverb
unworthiness noun

Legal Definition

unworthy

adjective
un·​wor·​thy
: not meritorious
specifically, in the civil law of Louisiana : being or relating to an heir who is deprived of the right to inherit from a person because of a failure in a duty towards the person
unworthiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unworthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!