not worth the candle
idiom
chiefly British, old-fashioned
: not worth the necessary effort, cost, or trouble
The car is so old that replacing the engine is not worth the candle.
Examples of not worth the candle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Often, however, the problems run deeper, and the United States must recognize that the game is simply not worth the candle.
—
Mara Karlin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mara Karlin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near not worth the candle
not worth the candle
Cite this Entry
“Not worth the candle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20worth%20the%20candle. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share