do well

idiom

1
: to be wise or use good judgment : to do what one should do
You would do well to avoid him right now.
You did well to avoid him when he was in a bad mood.
2
: to be lucky
When the tornado hit, they did well to escape uninjured.

Examples of do well 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.
The organization tends to do well on independent quality assessments. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026 Minnesota and other states would thus do well to shore up their capacity to get a rapid federal-court injunction against evidence tampering. Aziz Huq, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026 Politicians in Springfield would do well to preserve and nurture an economy worthy of the talent Illinois’ universities continue to produce. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026 So, guess what, that's going to give every individual the chance to do well. Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 24 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for do well

Cite this Entry

“Do well.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do%20well. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

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!