as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
the guy's unworldly enough to think that any stranger who would approach him on a city street is simply trying to help him
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Recent Examples of unworldly
While there are countless superhero stories flooding the TV landscape, Emma Moran's Extraordinary soars with its down-to-earth, Boys-esque twist, where being a hero isn't all it's cracked up to be and unworldly abilities aren't just devices for destruction.
—
Alex Galbraith, EW.com, 24 Sep. 2024
Buruma, who excels at setting a rather unworldly man in the public life of his time, describes how, in 1672, a mob in The Hague lynched Johan and Cornelis de Witt, brothers who had led the Netherlands’ liberal regime during what is now remembered as the Dutch Golden Age.
—Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Lucky for them, Vegas is an unworldly place.
—Mark Gray, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2022
After leaving his rural village for Paris, Lucien befriends another writer, Etienne (Vincent Lacoste), who introduces his unworldly protege to an exciting cadre of liberal journalists — including a publisher played by Gérard Depardieu — who regularly attack the royalist government.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 28 June 2022
The Nets are putting their hopes in a player who has an unworldly skill set for someone his height and was challenging LeBron James for the title of the game's best player, and a coach who is creative, highly intelligent, team-driven and competitive as hell.
—Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 3 Dec. 2020
And there the journey entered an unworldly realm.
—F. Salazar, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Sep. 2020
From the beginning, Monroe’s contemporaries understood her unworldly charm to be accidental, and tied to a supposed infantile nature.
—Sophie Lewis, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
The look might be a tad chic and sophisticated for unworldly ditz Muriel, but the star looks so sensational, who’s quibbling?
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2022
Alex Galbraith, EW.com, 24 Sep. 2024
Buruma, who excels at setting a rather unworldly man in the public life of his time, describes how, in 1672, a mob in The Hague lynched Johan and Cornelis de Witt, brothers who had led the Netherlands’ liberal regime during what is now remembered as the Dutch Golden Age.
—Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Lucky for them, Vegas is an unworldly place.
—Mark Gray, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2022
After leaving his rural village for Paris, Lucien befriends another writer, Etienne (Vincent Lacoste), who introduces his unworldly protege to an exciting cadre of liberal journalists — including a publisher played by Gérard Depardieu — who regularly attack the royalist government.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 28 June 2022
The Nets are putting their hopes in a player who has an unworldly skill set for someone his height and was challenging LeBron James for the title of the game's best player, and a coach who is creative, highly intelligent, team-driven and competitive as hell.
—Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 3 Dec. 2020
And there the journey entered an unworldly realm.
—F. Salazar, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Sep. 2020
From the beginning, Monroe’s contemporaries understood her unworldly charm to be accidental, and tied to a supposed infantile nature.
—Sophie Lewis, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
The look might be a tad chic and sophisticated for unworldly ditz Muriel, but the star looks so sensational, who’s quibbling?
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unworldly
Adjective
-
Neither was it based on wishful thinking or naive optimism.—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
-
As that incident indicated, Oded was not naive about Palestinian terrorism.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
In a race against time, Melissa must figure out if an innocent man is going to die for a crime her father really committed.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Dangerously selfish, vain and proud, Wilde’s Salome is anything but innocent.—
E.R. Zarevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Prioritizing fitness amid a busy travel schedule, the former Radio City Rockette and The Talk host says her outlook is simple.—
Meredith Lepore,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Mar. 2025
-
This fund is the simplest way to play the inevitable rise in lithium prices.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
-
Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Adjective
-
Yet there’s nothing inherently immature about her voice.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
27 Feb. 2025
-
This reflects the struggle many women face with emotionally immature and irresponsible partners.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unworldly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unworldly. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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