WORLDLY Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'worldly' distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words earthly and mundane are common synonyms of worldly . While all three words mean "belonging to or characteristic of the earth," worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification. // worldly goods

Q: When could 'earthly' be used to replace 'worldly'?

Although the words earthly and worldly have much in common, earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual. // abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

Q: In what contexts can 'mundane' take the place of 'worldly'?

While in some cases nearly identical to worldly , mundane suggests reference to the immediate and practical. // a mundane discussion of finances

worldly

adjective

ˈwər(-ə)ld-lē

Definition of worldly

as in cosmopolitan

having a wide and refined knowledge of the world especially from personal experience she returned from her year as an exchange student a much more worldly person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in mundane

having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven preoccupied with worldly concerns

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word worldly distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words earthly and mundane are common synonyms of worldly. While all three words mean "belonging to or characteristic of the earth," worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification.

worldly goods

When could earthly be used to replace worldly?

Although the words earthly and worldly have much in common, earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.

abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

In what contexts can mundane take the place of worldly?

While in some cases nearly identical to worldly, mundane suggests reference to the immediate and practical.

a mundane discussion of finances

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of worldly These complex relationships—between art and institutions, between artistic integrity and worldly achievement—animate Eggers’s latest novel, Contrapposto. — Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026 Las Terrenas does not ask you to choose between sleepy Caribbean escape and worldly energy. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 Ḥusayn’s death became for the Shiʿah a symbol of selfless resistance against worldly injustice and tyranny and is commemorated with lamentation each year on Ashura. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 July 2026 Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux bring a worldly polish to the lakefront, layering diplomacy, design and old European glamour onto the scenery. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for worldly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worldly

Adjective

Looking ahead to late 2026, the intriguing Patina Tianjin will be a decidedly unique cosmopolitan gateway to discovery.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
Ibrahim Nuhu, a banker who was transferred from the more cosmopolitan Plateau state to Sokoto, has seen the city evolve in recent years from a drab scene to a lively experience on weekends.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cosmopolitan

Adjective

The Future According to Brad is chunks in shades of butterscotch, caramel, and cinnamon—sophisticated candy colors.

— Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
Chemical suppliers are developing increasingly sophisticated products, while machinery, software and process control continue to improve.

— Alice Tonello, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of sophisticated

Adjective

The happy faces lit up their temporal cortex and caudate nucleus, which are parts of the brain associated with higher cognitive and reward processing.

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Aug. 2026
The study also establishes Cygnus X-3 as the first ultra-high-energy gamma-ray source known to show temporal variability.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of temporal

Adjective

Over millions of years, those extra abdominal oars were simplified, repurposed, and eventually erased entirely, leaving behind the streamlined six-legged architects of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
The fox is Svalbard's only native terrestrial predator, apart from the polar bear.

— Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrestrial

Adjective

If physical gestures serve our relatives just fine, why did our own branch of the family tree gradually favor biological changes in our brains and anatomy that permitted our characteristic complexities in language and precision in speech?

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
His best explanations for this are pressure from shareholders to prioritize immediate returns over long-term investments, and years of obsession with digital that came at the expense of physical retail.

— Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of physical

Adjective

The eagerly anticipated new Los Angeles museum will welcome earthly visitors on September 22.

— Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Instead, Farage's main opponent is Count Binface, a political satirist posing as a comic space alien, with a keen interest in earthly matters, including the positioning of a hand dryer in the men's toilet in a pub in west London.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of earthly

Cite this Entry

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“Worldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worldly. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of worldly

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