The phrase "were worth" can be substituted with different synonyms to convey a similar message. For instance, "had value" can be used to refer to things that were valuable or important. Another suitable synonym is "deserved," which indicates that the object in question warranted the attention it received. "Merited" or "befitted" are also words that can replace "were worth" in certain contexts. Additionally, "validated," "validated," and "justified" are alternatives indicating that something was deemed worthy of attention or praise. "Elevated" and "enhanced" are synonyms used to indicate that something improved its perceived value or quality. In summary, there are several useful synonyms that can be utilized instead of "were worth".