unworthy
gb/ʌnwˈɚði/ us/ʌnwˈɚði/
B2
English
~ 4300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Not deserving respect or value
Not good enough to get respect or value.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is unworthy of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'unworthy' with 'worthless'. 'Unworthy' refers to not deserving something, while 'worthless' means having no value at all.
Synonyms
undeserving (Neutral term meaning not worthy of something, without implying moral fault.)
|
inferior (Implies being of lower quality or status, sometimes without moral judgment.)
Antonyms
worthy (Direct opposite, meaning deserving of respect, value, or reward.)
|
deserving (Means having the right to receive something good or positive.)
Collocations
unworthy of trust
|unworthy behavior
|feel unworthy
|consider unworthy
|prove unworthy
Themes
emotions
|character
|judgment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- His dishonest actions made him unworthy of the award.
- She felt unworthy of their kindness.
- The proposal was deemed unworthy of further discussion.
- They considered him unworthy of the leadership role.
- Such behavior is unworthy of a professional athlete.
Learner examples
- I feel unworthy of this gift.
- He is unworthy of your trust.
- The story is unworthy of attention.
- She thinks she is unworthy of love.
- That man is unworthy of respect.
adjective
B2
property
2
Having low moral standards
Acting in a way that is bad or against good moral rules.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is unworthy
Synonyms
dishonorable (Focuses on lack of honor or integrity.)
|
shameful (Emphasizes causing shame or disgrace.)
Antonyms
honorable (Having high moral standards and integrity.)
|
noble (Possessing admirable moral qualities.)
Collocations
unworthy conduct
|unworthy motives
|unworthy act
Themes
morality
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The politician resigned after accusations of unworthy conduct.
- Such lies are unworthy of a true friend.
- He apologized for his unworthy actions during the meeting.
Learner examples
- That was an unworthy act.
- He made an unworthy comment.
- Her words were unworthy and hurtful.
Grammar
Dictionary form
unworthy
IPA
GB/ʌnwˈɚði/
US/ʌnwˈɚði/
Syllables & stress
un - worthy (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (worthy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: unworthy
Word family
Related words
worthwhile
adjective B1
Negative and opposite forms
unworthiness
noun
worthless
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
worthily
adverb
unworthily
adverb
Expressions
deem unworthy
1/dˈim ʌnwˈɚði/
fixed phrase
Consider someone/something undeserving
To decide that someone or something does not deserve something good.
Examples
- The committee deemed his application unworthy.
- They deemed the request unworthy of further discussion.
feel unworthy
1/fˈil ʌnwˈɚði/
fixed phrase
Believe you do not deserve something
To think you are not good enough to get something or be treated well.
Examples
- She often feels unworthy of praise.
- After the mistake, he felt unworthy of his team's support.
unworthy of mention
1/ʌnwˈɚði əv mˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
Too trivial to talk about
Not important enough to talk about or notice.
Examples
- The error was so small it was unworthy of mention.
- His contribution was minor and unworthy of mention.