Unworldly means lacking practical experience with everyday life, or being so idealistic and innocent that you seem out of touch with how the real world works. An unworldly person might not understand money, social conventions, or the kinds of problems most people deal with regularly.

Imagine a brilliant scientist who has spent her whole life in a laboratory and doesn't know how to use a smartphone, navigate a subway system, or understand why people gossip. Or picture someone raised in extreme isolation who trusts everyone completely because they've never encountered dishonesty. These are unworldly people: their inexperience makes them naive about ordinary situations.

The word can also describe someone focused on spiritual or intellectual matters rather than practical concerns. A monk devoted entirely to prayer and meditation might be considered unworldly because material success and social status don't interest him at all.

Sometimes unworldly describes things that seem too perfect or pure for this world, like an unworldly beauty that seems almost magical. But most often, it suggests someone who needs to learn more about how things actually work outside their sheltered experience. Being unworldly isn't necessarily bad, but it can leave you unprepared for challenges that more experienced people handle more easily.