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 Ben chose to stay behind, feeling unworthy of doing so just yet. Janey Tracey, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024 Research published in the Journal of Personality suggests that more than missing the actual person, a fear of being single or feeling unworthy of love can drive this type of longing. Mark Travers, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024 However, some felt her posts implied that Kendrick Lamar was unworthy of receiving the honor himself. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 10 Sep. 2024 Should the majority of military families decide the nation is unworthy of their children’s service, as may already be happening, the AVF will become unsustainable. Gil Barndollar, Vox, 1 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unworthy 

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 31 Oct. 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

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