well-intentioned

adjective

well-in·​ten·​tioned ˌwel-in-ˈten(t)-shənd How to pronounce well-intentioned (audio)

Examples of well-intentioned in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To exist in the modern world is to be a creator of waste; even the well-intentioned can do little more than be frustrated. Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 The difference is that Robbins isn't as well-intentioned as Riri. Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 26 June 2025 Government regulations, while well-intentioned, increasingly require centralized collection of wallet addresses and user identities. Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 But Abbott in a statement that accompanied his veto late Sunday, June 22, said the legislation, Senate Bill 3, was well-intentioned but fated to spend tied up in legal battles. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for well-intentioned

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of well-intentioned was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Well-intentioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well-intentioned. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!