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"Worth" asks if the cost or effort is justified; "worthy" says something or someone is deserving by merit.
Side-by-side comparison
Having a value equal to something. Justifying the cost or effort. Always followed by a noun or gerund.
Is this restaurant worth the price? It looks expensive.
The hike was long, but the view from the top was worth it.
That old car is not worth repairing. It costs more than it is worth.
Deserving respect, admiration, or something by virtue of qualities or merit.
She is a worthy opponent, be ready for a tough match.
Not everyone is worthy of your trust. Be selective.
It is a worthy cause and I am happy to donate.
Common mistake
"He is very worth" without a complement is wrong: "worth" always needs something after it: "worth it," "worth the effort," "worth seeing." The reverse: "This movie is worthy" sounds odd in a cost-benefit sense, correct is "worth watching" or "a worthy film" (as an adjective before the noun).
Trick to remember it
- •"Worth": subject + is worth + noun/gerund ("It is worth trying"; "Is it worth the trouble?").
- •"Worthy": subject + is worthy of + noun ("He is worthy of respect") or adjective before noun ("a worthy cause").
Quick rule
- •Worth = monetary value or cost-benefit (followed by noun/gerund).
- •Worthy = deserving by merit or character.
Did you know?
The suffix "-worthy" is one of the most productive in modern English for creating new compounds. Combined with almost any noun or adjective, it creates a word meaning "deserving to be [something]": NOTEWORTHY (deserving attention), PRAISEWORTHY (deserving praise), TRUSTWORTHY (deserving trust), NEWSWORTHY (deserving press coverage), CREDITWORTHY (deserving credit), ROADWORTHY (fit to drive), SEAWORTHY (fit to sail), AIRWORTHY (fit to fly). In informal English and digital media, this suffix continues to be used creatively: "clickworthy," "shareable," "binge-worthy." The productivity of "-worthy" shows that English continues generating vocabulary using the same formative patterns from Old English.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The charity does _____ work helping homeless people across the city.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She was considered _____ of the award for her contribution to the research.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
"Earn" is to gain through work or effort; "deserve" is to be worthy of something by merit.
Both mean "not easy", but "hard" also means physically firm or working intensely.
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy