unworthy
Beneath one's station
Unworthy means not deserving of something, or falling short of a standard.
Someone may feel unworthy of love or unworthy of the honor.
Behavior can be unworthy of a person's position: Such pettiness is unworthy of a leader.
The word carries moral weight—suggesting inadequacy or disgrace rather than simple unfitness.
Feeling guilt and disgrace
- shamefulCausing or meriting disgrace
- disgracefulCausing loss of respect
- dishonorableLacking integrity or ethics
- ignominiousDeserving public shame
contemptible · despicable · base · lowly · degraded · debased · humiliated · mortified
Not sufficient for purpose
- insufficientBelow required quantity
- deficientHaving too little
- lackingBeing without something
- substandardBelow required quality
mediocre · second-rate · inferior · low-grade · unqualified · incompetent · inept · incapable
Not rightfully due
- unearnedNot rightfully gained
- unwarrantedWithout adequate justification
- unjustifiedLacking adequate reason
- unentitledLacking valid claim
undeserved · ineligible · disqualified · unbefitting · inappropriate · improper · unsuitable · beneath
Scornful disregard
- scornHostile dismissive feeling
- derisionContemptuous mockery
- contemptDisdainful disregard
- disparagementCriticism meant to diminish
belittlement · deprecation · looked down upon · dismissed · rejected · shunned · scorned · reviled
Violating moral law
- impureNot wholly clean
- unholyWicked, impious, sinful
- profaneIrreverent toward the sacred
- uncleanSoiled or contaminated
fallen · unredeemed · unrighteous · unsanctified · unblessed · graceless · faithless · penitent
ashamed
Feeling guilt and disgrace
- shamefulCausing or meriting disgrace
- disgracefulCausing loss of respect
- dishonorableLacking integrity or ethics
ignominious · contemptible · despicable · base · lowly · degraded · debased · humiliated · mortified · self-reproach
inadequate
Not sufficient for purpose
- insufficientBelow required quantity
- deficientHaving too little
- lackingBeing without something
substandard · mediocre · second-rate · inferior · low-grade · unqualified · incompetent · inept · incapable · unprepared
unmerited
Not rightfully due
- unearnedNot rightfully gained
- unwarrantedWithout adequate justification
- unjustifiedLacking adequate reason
unentitled · undeserved · ineligible · disqualified · unbefitting · inappropriate · improper · unsuitable · beneath · degrading
disdain
Scornful disregard
disparagement · belittlement · deprecation · looked down upon · dismissed · rejected · shunned · scorned · reviled · denigrated
sinful
Violating moral law
unclean · fallen · unredeemed · unrighteous · unsanctified · unblessed · graceless · faithless · penitent · repentant
- humilityhumbleness, humble, meekness, modesty, modest
- inferiorinferior, substandard, second-rate, second-class, subpar
- faith labelsbeliever, nonbeliever, atheist, agnostic, theist
unworthyworthy
Deserving respect or esteem
deserving · meritorious · meriting · entitled · creditable