worldly
adjective
world·ly
ˈwər(-ə)ld-lē 
ˈwərl-lē
worldlier; worldliest
1
: of, relating to, or devoted to this world and its pursuits rather than to religion or spiritual affairs
worldly possessions/pleasures
Not for wealth, in its vulgar sense, had he ever sighed; not for the enjoyment of rich things had he ever longed; but for the allotted share of worldly bliss which a wife, and children, and happy home could give him …—
Anthony Trollope
Anthony TrollopeReligious fervor, which the crusaders had in spades, did not preclude or even hinder their worldly ambition.—Stephen O'Shea
Stephen O'Shea2
: possessing or displaying significant experience and knowledge about life and the world : worldly-wise
… a wealthy, fabulously successful gay businesswoman who blows stuff up and dispenses worldly wisdom in equal amounts.—Piers Marchant
Piers Marchant… took the occasion to impart a bit of worldly advice.—Erich Segal
Erich SegalThe essays collected here counterpose two groups of men: "the worldly men" of "covetous ambition," in the words of poet Henry King, and those whom they pushed aside in their scramble to the top.—Michael S. Kimmel
Michael S. Kimmel
worldliness
noun
Examples of worldly in a Sentence
She is more worldly than her younger sister.
she returned from her year as an exchange student a much more worldly person
Recent Examples on the Web
Jupiter: Long-distance travel, abundance, worldly inspiration, exploration, and luck.
—Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
One such male favorite was Esmé Stewart, an older cousin whose worldly perspective impressed the young James.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
In Buffalo, Horowitz said the eclipse, while an obvious reminder of nature’s beauty, offers a chance to reflect on nature’s fragility and to find hope amid worldly chaos and personal challenges.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Your professional path, worldly status, and reputation are going through a shedding process, like a snake outgrowing a skin.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024
Lai, Tran and their six children landed in Northern Virginia in 1982, carrying two black trash bags, which represented all their worldly possessions.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
The aura of Andy Warhol, another party buddy, shines on him, sanctifying all worldly ambition.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Janet is legally in charge of every aspect of Jason’s life, and doesn’t waste any time placing him in a nursing home, auctioning off his house, all worldly possessions, and using the excuse that the proceeds are needed for his care.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Abu Hassan had lost his worldly possessions and was living in a squalid camp.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
One such male favorite was Esmé Stewart, an older cousin whose worldly perspective impressed the young James.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
In Buffalo, Horowitz said the eclipse, while an obvious reminder of nature’s beauty, offers a chance to reflect on nature’s fragility and to find hope amid worldly chaos and personal challenges.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Your professional path, worldly status, and reputation are going through a shedding process, like a snake outgrowing a skin.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024
Lai, Tran and their six children landed in Northern Virginia in 1982, carrying two black trash bags, which represented all their worldly possessions.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
The aura of Andy Warhol, another party buddy, shines on him, sanctifying all worldly ambition.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Janet is legally in charge of every aspect of Jason’s life, and doesn’t waste any time placing him in a nursing home, auctioning off his house, all worldly possessions, and using the excuse that the proceeds are needed for his care.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Abu Hassan had lost his worldly possessions and was living in a squalid camp.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'worldly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near worldly
Cite this Entry
“Worldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worldly. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
worldly
adjective
world·ly
ˈwər(-ə)l-dlē
ˈwərl-lē
1
: of, relating to, or concerned with the affairs of this world rather than with spiritual affairs
2
worldliness
noun
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