unworthy

/ʌnˈwɝði/

//ʌnˈwɝði// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"unworthy" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unworthy” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,540. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,540
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not worthy; lacking value or merit; worthless.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unworthy · unworthy · English

unworthy · rank #22,540 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,540
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH unveil

Nearest frequency peer: unveil (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “unworthy”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “unworthy” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for unworthy
PropertyValue
Headwordunworthy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ʌnˈwɝði/
Letters8
Frequency rank#22,540
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “unworthy”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).unworthylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “unveil” (#22,539), “unsolicited” (#22,538), “unparalleled” (#22,537). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unworthy” is #22,540. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around unworthy (IPA /ʌnˈwɝði/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #22,540 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Not worthy; lacking value or merit; worthless.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for unworthy, with forms such as "nuworthy", "unnworthy", and "unowrthy". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English unworthy, equivalent to un- + worthy. The correct English form is unworthy, spelled U-N-W-O-R-T-H-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not worthy; lacking value or merit; worthless.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unworthy appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. […]But alas the while! If Hercules and Lichas play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turn by the fortune from the weaker hand: So is Alcides beaten by his page; And so may I, blind Fortune leading me, Miss that which one unworthier may attain, And die with grieving.
  2. Another place where, from the aesthetic point of view, a long tunnel would have been a real blessing, is East London as viewed from the carriage window on the old Great Eastern line. Despite a vast change from crowded slums to tracts of wasteland, due to its grim wartime experience, this approach still provides a shabby and unworthy introduction to the gr…

Etymology

From Middle English unworthy, equivalent to un- + worthy.

This word in other languages

indigno(Español)indigne(Français)unwürdig(Deutsch)indigno(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nuworthy
  • unnworthy
  • unowrthy
  • unworhty
  • unworrthy
  • unworthhy
  • unworthyy
  • unwortthy
  • unwortyh
  • unwotrhy
  • unwrothy
  • unwworthy
  • uwnorthy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unworthy - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

nuworthy2unnworthy1unowrthy2unworhty2unworrthy1unworthhy1unworthyy1unwortthy1
Edit distance from "unworthy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unworthy"?
"unworthy" is spelled U-N-W-O-R-T-H-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈwɝði/.
What does "unworthy" mean?
As an adjective, "unworthy" means: Not worthy; lacking value or merit; worthless.
What are common misspellings of "unworthy"?
Common misspellings include "nuworthy", "unnworthy", "unowrthy", "unworhty", "unworrthy". The correct spelling is "unworthy".
How do you pronounce "unworthy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unworthy" is /ʌnˈwɝði/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "unworthy"?
From Middle English unworthy, equivalent to un- + worthy. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unworthy", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

vocation#22,544tutoring#22,533Tunisian#22,532topology#22,530

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

undecided13 variantsStuttgart13 variantsagitation13 variantsagreeable13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list