Standard Lemma guide

worthwhileness

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌwɜːθˈwaɪlnəs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /-ˈʍaɪl-/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˌwɜɹθˈwaɪlnəs/
  • General-American: /-ˈʍaɪl-/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The condition or extent of being worthwhile.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: worthiness

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

value sufficient to repay time or effort spent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: worth

History

Etymology

From worthwhile + -ness (suffix attached to adjectives forming nouns meaning ‘the measure of being [the adjective]’ or ‘the quality or state of being [the adjective]’).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: hyödyllisyys — condition or extent of being worthwhile — see also worthiness, pay-off
  • Finnish: kannattavuus — condition or extent of being worthwhile — see also worthiness, pay-off
  • Macedonian: вре́дност (vrédnost) — condition or extent of being worthwhile — see also worthiness, pay-off
  • Macedonian: ко́рисност (kórisnost) — condition or extent of being worthwhile — see also worthiness, pay-off
  • Macedonian: по́лезност (póleznost) — condition or extent of being worthwhile — see also worthiness, pay-off
  • Spanish: provecho — condition or extent of being worthwhile — see also worthiness, pay-off