WordGarden.ioworthiness
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈɜːðɪnəs/
US
- /ˈwɜrðinɪs/
Meanings
Noun
the quality of deserving respect, approval, or support
in some religious contexts, spiritual fitness or acceptability for sacred rites or responsibilities
Beyond the definition
Worthiness is the quality of deserving respect, trust, praise, support, or attention. It is often used when we talk about a person's character, an idea, a cause, or a goal that seems good enough to receive approval or serious consideration. A knight may show worthiness through brave actions, a friend through loyalty, and a project through clear value. The word can also appear in personal or emotional writing, where it points to feeling deserving of love or kindness.
Imagine someone standing before a difficult choice: whom to trust, what cause to support, or which goal is worth the effort. In moments like that, this word appears when we want to talk about whether a person or thing deserves respect, approval, trust, praise, or serious attention. That is the heart of worthiness.
Worthiness is the state or quality of being worthy. It often suggests moral value, good character, or enough merit to justify support. We may speak of the worthiness of a leader, the worthiness of a cause, or the worthiness of a plan. In each case, the idea is similar: there is something about the person or thing that makes it deserve a positive response.
The word is common in formal, moral, and literary contexts. In stories, a hero may have to prove worthiness before receiving a sword, a title, or a place of honor. In everyday life, people may question the worthiness of a public project, a charity, or a candidate. The focus is not only on value in a general sense, but on being fit to receive trust, reward, honor, or approval.
It can also be used in a more personal way. Someone may speak about their own worthiness when they mean their sense of deserving love, care, or respect. That use is common in emotional or reflective writing, but it is only one part of the word's meaning. More broadly, the word still points to merit, fitness, and deserving a favorable judgment.
So if you see this word in a sentence, think of a test of merit: does this person, action, or idea deserve respect, support, trust, or reward? If the answer is yes, the sentence is probably pointing to worthiness.
Examples
- 1
Grant decision
The committee debated the worthiness of the project before approving the grant.
- 2
Public office
Some voters questioned his worthiness to hold public office.
- 3
Family approval
She always felt she had to prove her worthiness to her parents.
- Patternprove your worthiness to + person
show that person that you deserve their approval or respect
- 4
Self-worth
Therapy helped her see that one mistake did not change her worthiness as a person.
See also
Similar
- merit
- deservingness
Shades of meaning
- suitability
- moral worth
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- prove one's worthiness
- worthiness of a cause
Word family
- worthy
- worthily
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- worthinessnoun