welcome

verb

wel·come | \ˈwel-kəm

welcomed; welcoming

Definition of welcome

(Entry 1 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality

2 : to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of welcomes danger

welcome

interjection

Definition of welcome (Entry 2 of 4)

—used to express a greeting to a guest or newcomer upon arrival

welcome

adjective

Definition of welcome (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : received gladly into one's presence or companionship was always welcome in their home

2 : giving pleasure : received with gladness or delight especially in response to a need a welcome relief

3 : willingly permitted or admitted he was welcome to come and go— W. M. Thackeray

4 —used in the phrase "You're welcome" as a reply to an expression of thanks

welcome

noun

Definition of welcome (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : a greeting or reception usually upon arrival a warm welcome

2 : the state of being welcome overstayed their welcome

Other Words from welcome Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about welcome

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Examples of welcome in a Sentence

Verb

She welcomed the students into her home. We welcome you to the show. He's a bright student who welcomes a challenge.

Adjective

That will be a welcome change. He was a welcome sight.

Noun

He was given a hero's welcome when he returned home after winning the race. offered a warm welcome to the stranger

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Once a fringe home accoutrement favored by eco-conscious consumers, solar does appear poised to mushroom as costs come down and homeowners welcome reduced utility bills. — Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, "Burning for Tesla Powerwall? Get ready to wait as Musk's solar vision takes a backseat to Model 3," 13 July 2018 During her speech, the mayor said hosting the convention would show the world that Charlotte is inclusive and welcomes all political viewpoints. — Steve Harrison And Jim Morrill, charlotteobserver, "Why did council Democrats wait to oppose RNC? An inside look at Charlotte’s bid.," 13 July 2018 The Neighbor’s Shoppe, 2833 12 Mile Road Vitrine Gallery & Gifts, 2758 Coolidge Highway Lake Home Décor, 2675 Coolidge Highway Carrie Vestrand, owner of City Style, welcomed Hartz's artwork. — Bryce Airgood, Detroit Free Press, "Artist with special needs brightens up Berkley with chalk drawings," 12 July 2018 Some wrapped themselves in the national flag while others welcomed their children – dressed in tiny checkerboard Croatian kits – onto the field. — Kevin Baxter, latimes.com, "Croatia advances to World Cup final with 2-1 win over England," 12 July 2018 Yousafzai, a global advocate of girls’ education, last year praised Canada for welcoming refugees. — Laignee Barron, Time, "Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai Criticizes the Trump Administration's 'Inhumane' Family Separation Policy," 12 July 2018 But know that Flint, at least, welcomes Musk’s help. — Brian Barrett, WIRED, "The Flint Water Crisis Is Bigger Than Elon Musk," 12 July 2018 Admission to the museum is free, with donations welcome. — Staff Report, Post-Tribune, "Community news," 11 July 2018 Still, there were glimmers of hope: two new luxury resorts, Villa Marie and Hotel Manapany, managed to remain (mostly) unscathed, and were already welcoming guests. — Lindsay Silberman, Town & Country, "How St. Barth's Survived the Devastating Hurricanes of 2017," 10 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Interjection

Welcome, Baskets and Better Things and One Mississippi and now The Cops [all from C.K.'s production company] and more to come. — Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, "FX Chief John Landgraf Talks 'Peak TV,' 'Louie' Future and Netflix: It's "Shoveling Money"," 25 May 2017 Her presence in the race adds new dimensions to the conversation, and that’s welcome. — Pioneer Press Editorial Board, Twin Cities, "Conversing with St. Paul mayoral candidates: Elizabeth Dickinson," 22 Mar. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

TODAY’S DAILY DIGIT A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10. 10/10: Rinse and repeat of sunny and dry are even more welcome with a few gray days ahead! — Brian Jackson, Washington Post, "D.C.-area forecast: Bright and cheery today; turning gray and gloomy tomorrow," 27 Aug. 2017 On tour, though, care of Lövik often falls to Irina, which can be a welcome distraction for her during Sascha’s matches. — Longreads, "Family Band," 22 Aug. 2017 Cars like the Elantra, then, are a welcome respite for those of us who actually like to drive, who like the feeling of controlling the machine. — Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, "The Manual Car Is About More Than Shifting Gears," 19 Aug. 2017 The couple made a welcome toast, thanking their guests for sharing in the weekend– — Carrie Goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "Exclusive: Erin Andrews and Jarret Stoll's Mountain-Top Wedding in Montana," 16 Aug. 2017 Conductor Lisa LeMay’s 17-strong orchestra handles the various musical flavors well, and there’s lots of drama and surprise to the lighting design by David Cuthbert, a welcome San Diego returnee. — James Hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego Rep revival lends heart to tuneful but cynical 'Evita'," 10 Aug. 2017 In this salad, the saltiness of the cod and the tang of the cheese bring a welcome punch. — Daniel Boulud, ELLE Decor, "3 Timeless French Recipes From France's Most Admired Chefs," 9 Aug. 2017 After the welcome bubbles, guests will learn the art of creating the perfect champagne cocktail(s) with the property's resident bartender. — Micaela English, Town & Country, "This Charming Maine Inn Has An Entire Weekend Dedicated To Champagne," 7 Aug. 2017 Residents who would like to host a gathering are also welcome to do so since several areas do not have a block captain. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, Rancho Bernardo, "National Night Out events planned for Tuesday," 27 July 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

While prom often marks the beginning of spring and the end of the school year, homecoming, which often takes place in September or October, doubles as a kind of welcome back to school. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "What is Homecoming?," 9 July 2018 Address of welcome, Mayor L.J. Wilde and A.D. LaMotte. — sandiegouniontribune.com, "July 4, 1917: San Diego Honors New Citizens," 4 July 2018 The centerpiece of the striking welcome is a center fountain, surrounded by plants. — Megan Stein, ajc, "Cameron Diaz's house from 'The Holiday' just hit the market for nearly $12 million," 30 May 2018 The mayor built his speech around themes of welcome: to the homeless, immigrants, jobseekers and job-creators, environmentalists and all who want to build a better city. — Gordon R. Friedman, OregonLive.com, "Wheeler makes plea for more police in State of the City address," 12 Apr. 2018 Examples of this Willkommenskultur (culture of welcome) can be seen across Germany. — The Economist, "Whose Heimat?A land of multiple identities," 12 Apr. 2018 Rangoli is colorful floor art which families create during Diwali as a sign of welcome. — Katie Newcomb, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee County Zoo classes prove learning is fun at any age," 13 Jan. 2018 In fact, some of these crabs may have had a warm welcome in mind; female ghost crabs initially judge a male’s desirability by his burrow’s entrance. — New York Times, "Ghost on the Beach," 28 June 2018 William kicked off his tour in Jordan on Sunday with a warm welcome from Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "Prince William Just Recreated One of Kate Middleton's Sweet Childhood Photos in Jordan," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'welcome.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of welcome

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for welcome

Verb

Middle English, from Old English welcumian, wylcumian, from wilcuma, noun

Interjection

Middle English, alteration of wilcume, from Old English, from wilcuma desirable guest (akin to Old High German willicomo desirable guest); akin to Old English willa, will desire, cuman to come — more at will, come

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