unworthy

adjective

un·​wor·​thy ˌən-ˈwər-t͟hē 

1

a

: lacking in excellence or value : poor, worthless

b

: base, dishonorable

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

ˌən-ˈwər-t͟hə-lē 

adverb

unworthiness

ˌən-ˈwər-t͟hē-nəs 

noun

Examples of unworthy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Big-league teams left the Town, searching for a bigger, shinier stadium that some oligarch decided is unworthy of the East Bay. —Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025

Christoph Waltz as Baron Albrecht von Eberstein The ruthless head of Austria’s oldest banking dynasty, Baron Albrecht is Saxon’s grandfather and sees his grandson as unworthy of inheriting the family fortune. —Martine Paris, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

This is the real sin of this unworthy tax loophole. —Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 12 Mar. 2025

At worst, they were considered physically unworthy to weather the terse Antarctic conditions. —Will McGough, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for unworthy

• blameworthy
• newsworthy
• noteworthy
• praiseworthy
• trustworthy
• creditworthy
• untrustworthy
• worthy

Kids Definition

unworthy

adjective

un·​wor·​thy ˌən-ˈwər-t͟hē 

ˈən-

: lacking in excellence or worth : undeserving

unworthily

-t͟hə-lē 

adverb

unworthiness

-t͟hē-nəs 

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