Synonym Chooser

How is the word worldly distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words earthly and mundane are common synonyms of worldly. While all three words mean "belonging to or characteristic of the earth," worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification.

worldly goods

When could earthly be used to replace worldly?

Although the words earthly and worldly have much in common, earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.

abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

In what contexts can mundane take the place of worldly?

While in some cases nearly identical to worldly, mundane suggests reference to the immediate and practical.

a mundane discussion of finances

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of worldly As Markle's version of Goop, The Tig was about living a worldly life, broadening your horizons, and aspiring for beauty and wellness in the everyday. Alanna Bennett, refinery29.com, 14 Mar. 2025 The breakfast buffet, too, is just as worldly: the bountiful help-yourself spread of arepas, empanadas, smoked salmon, baba ganoush, fresh fruit, and more is the perfect way to fuel up for a day of exploring. Katie Chang, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 One’s personal changes, made through prayer and fasting, must come first before fixing other worldly problems, Wenski said. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025 His own systematic thinking and interest in the workings of worldly power led him to become a conservative Catholic. George Packer, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for worldly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worldly
Adjective
  • Onward to colorful, cosmopolitan Dallas, through Austin (home of the University of Texas), and finally to San Antonio, where the legend of the Alamo and the Riverwalk attract people from all over the world.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Mar. 2025
  • While many visitors come to view the workings of the famous Panama Canal connecting these two bodies of water, this cosmopolitan metropolis offers enriching experiences for discerning travelers also looking to immerse themselves in the region’s history and culture.
    Carolyn Heller, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The missing leaders come from the messy middle—those steadfast, seasoned managers navigating between visionary ambitions and everyday mundane execution—who determine if organizational change succeeds or fails.
    Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • So people are usually surprised to see Rahma capturing footage on the side, sometimes of a guest, the setup, or the mundane bits in between.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In a world of increasingly frequent and sophisticated digital threats, the loss of cybersecurity personnel could weaken America’s defenses against ransomware, espionage, and infrastructure disruption.
    Solange Charas, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The engagement algorithms for such platforms are vastly less sophisticated than the ones that will be deployed in agentic A.I.
    Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Taking a broader temporal view of the crypto industry's evolution, of the over 24,000 cryptocurrencies listed on CoinGecko since 2014 to the end of 2023, over 50% have died.
    Max (Chong) Li, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • From there on out, the film takes a couple of major swings in the realm of its timeline — a strange temporal unfurling — as well as the seeming motives behind A.J. and Isaac’s arrival, and Camille’s readiness to host them alongside a friend who clearly needs some alone time.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Its civil servants have a track record of working fifty-to-sixty-hour weeks, based on spacecraft trajectories rather than terrestrial clocks.
    David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
  • That trip would be the longest transoceanic dispersal of any terrestrial vertebrate known to scientists.
    Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • While the pneumonia infection has been successfully treated, Francis will continue to take oral medication for quite some time to treat the fungal infection in his lungs and continue his respiratory and physical physiotherapy.
    Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The physical altercation happened earlier this month at Wallace Middle School in Waterbury, Connecticut.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Williams and Wilmore and their crewmates exited Dragon, taking their first breaths of earthly air in months.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
  • That final choice encapsulates Colquhoun’s lack of interest in earthly fame.
    Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Worldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worldly. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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