worldly
gb/wˈɚldli/ us/wˈɚldli/
B2
English
~ 4800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
knowledgeable about life and society
Knowing a lot about how life and people work, often from having many experiences.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is worldly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'worldly' with 'worldwide', but 'worldly' refers to experience, not location or scope.
Synonyms
sophisticated (Suggests refinement and culture in addition to experience.)
|
experienced (Focuses more on having lived through many situations, less on social skill.)
Antonyms
naive (Lacking experience or understanding of the ways of the world.)
Collocations
worldly experience
|worldly wisdom
|worldly person
|worldly knowledge
Themes
society
|life
|experience
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- She is a worldly traveler who has lived in five different countries.
- His worldly advice helped me avoid many mistakes.
- Despite his young age, he seemed surprisingly worldly.
- The novel’s main character is a worldly businesswoman.
- Worldly politicians know how to navigate complex negotiations.
Learner examples
- He is a worldly man who has been to many places.
- She gave me worldly advice about work.
- My uncle is very worldly because he has worked in many countries.
- The teacher is worldly and understands many cultures.
adjective
B2
property
2
focused on material things
Caring mostly about money, things you own, and enjoying life, not about spiritual matters.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is worldly
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'worldly' here with 'global' or 'international', but it refers to material focus.
Synonyms
materialistic (Often carries a stronger negative judgment of valuing material things too much.)
|
earthly (Can mean related to the physical world as opposed to spiritual, sometimes neutral.)
Antonyms
spiritual (Focused on religious or moral values instead of material possessions.)
Collocations
worldly pleasures
|worldly success
|worldly goods
|worldly wealth
Themes
values
|lifestyle
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He gave up all worldly possessions to join the monastery.
- Her ambitions were purely worldly, centered on wealth and status.
- The book warns against becoming too attached to worldly pleasures.
- They left behind their worldly goods when fleeing the city.
- His interest in worldly success kept him from deeper reflection.
Learner examples
- She likes worldly pleasures like good food and travel.
- He sold his house and gave away his worldly goods.
- The monk does not care about worldly things.
- They want worldly success in business.
Grammar
Dictionary form
worldly
IPA
GB/wˈɚldli/
US/wˈɚldli/
Syllables & stress
worldly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (worldly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: worldly
Word family
Expressions
worldly goods
1/wˈɚldli ɡˈʊdz/
fixed phrase
all personal possessions
Everything a person owns in life.
Examples
- He left all his worldly goods to his children.
- They lost their worldly goods in the fire.
worldly pleasures
1/wˈɚldli plˈɛʒɚz/
fixed phrase
physical or material enjoyments
Fun or enjoyable things that are part of normal life, like food, travel, or entertainment.
Examples
- The monk avoids all worldly pleasures.
- She enjoys the worldly pleasures of fine dining and travel.
worldly wisdom
1/wˈɚldli wˈɪzdəm/
fixed phrase
practical life experience and judgment
Knowledge about life that comes from real experiences, not from books.
Examples
- Her worldly wisdom helped her solve the problem quickly.
- He spoke with the worldly wisdom of someone who had seen it all.