Worth

Worth is a concept describing the value or usefulness of something, expressed in monetary terms or through nonmonetary measures such as utility, importance, or moral significance. In everyday language, people ask what something is worth and assign value based on price, usefulness, scarcity, or personal preference.

Economics and finance treat worth in relation to price or market value—the amount buyers are willing to exchange for a good or asset. Net worth measures financial position as total assets minus liabilities. Valuation methods include market value, replacement cost, and, for intangible assets, estimates of future benefits or intrinsic value. Worth can be absolute or contextual: a thing may be worth more in one situation than another, and perceptions of worth can change with information, scarcity, or demand.

Value theory in philosophy examines what is valuable in itself or for which purposes things are valued. Worth may refer to intrinsic value, instrumental value, or moral worth, depending on the framework. In professional contexts, valuation or appraisal is the formal process of estimating worth for property, businesses, or damages.

As a proper noun, Worth is a surname and a toponym; places named Worth exist in English-speaking regions. The word also appears in idioms such as not worth it or worthwhile.