unworldly
/ʌnˈwɜːldli/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈwɜːrldli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈwər(-ə)l-dlē -ˈwərl-lē/ (ame, mw)
unworldly — adjective
- unworldlypositive
- more unworldlycomparative
- most unworldlysuperlative
1. describes a person who has little understanding of ordinary practical matters su
describes a person who has little understanding of ordinary practical matters such as money, business, or daily tasks, often because they focus their attention on ideas, art, or spiritual things — for example, an unworldly professor who forgets to cash his paychecks.
Amelia was so unworldly that she did not know how much a bus ticket cost.
so + adj + that-clause for extreme degree
The unworldly young poet lived in a tiny room and never asked about payment.
attributive: unworldly + noun describing a person
Sahil's unworldly parents had never used a smartphone or checked a bank account.
There was something unworldly about Hiro's calm acceptance of losing all his money.
Felipe found his roommate far too unworldly to give sensible advice about jobs.
- naive
unworldly is softer and less negative; naive can imply being easily fooled by others
- idealistic
idealistic focuses on holding high principles; unworldly emphasizes a lack of practical know-how
- innocent
innocent has a broader moral meaning; unworldly is specifically about inexperience with everyday practical life
- worldly
direct opposite — having experience and knowledge of practical life
- sophisticated
worldly plus polished social skills and cultural knowledge
- practical
focused on the opposite quality — sensible and skilled at everyday tasks
文法句型
unworldly + noun
be + unworldly
so + unworldly + that-clause
too + unworldly + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Commonly used to describe creative, scholarly, or religious individuals who show little interest in material success. Unlike naive (which implies being easily tricked), unworldly people may be aware of their own innocence about practical matters without being gullible.
常見錯誤
2. having a quality that feels spiritual, mysterious, or from another realm, rather
having a quality that feels spiritual, mysterious, or from another realm, rather than connected to ordinary physical existence — for example, the unworldly silence of a temple at midnight that makes everyday noise seem far away.
The choir sang an unworldly melody that seemed to float above the ancient church.
unworldly + noun + relative clause describing the quality
Layla described a dream of unworldly beauty, with colours she had never seen before.
A strange, unworldly light filled the forest at dawn, casting long blue shadows.
Marta felt she had entered an unworldly garden where time stood completely still.
The painting had an unworldly glow, as if the colours came from inside the canvas.
- ethereal
ethereal suggests delicacy and lightness; unworldly has a stronger sense of detachment from ordinary life
- unearthly
very close in meaning; unearthly often adds a hint of strangeness or eeriness, while unworldly tends to be more neutral or positive
- spiritual
spiritual is broader and may include religious belief; unworldly emphasizes a quality that seems apart from the physical world
文法句型
unworldly + noun
be + unworldly
seem + unworldly
用法筆記
Often paired with nouns related to beauty, sound, or light (an unworldly beauty, unworldly music, unworldly glow). Less common with descriptions of everyday objects — the noun should suggest something mysterious, sacred, or sublime.