well

play

noun \ ˈwel \

Definition of well

1 a :an issue of water from the earth :a pool fed by a spring

b :source, origin

2 a :a pit or hole sunk into the earth to reach a supply of water

b :a shaft or hole sunk to obtain oil, brine, or gas

3 a :an enclosure in the middle of a ship's hold to protect from damage and facilitate the inspection of the pumps

b :a compartment in the hold of a fishing boat in which fish are kept alive

4 :an open space extending vertically through floors of a structure

5 :a space having a construction or shape suggesting a well for water

6 a :something resembling a well in being damp, cool, deep, or dark

b :a deep vertical hole

c :a source from which something may be drawn as needed

7 :a pronounced minimum of a variable in physics

a potential well

See well defined for English-language learners

See well defined for kids

Examples of well in a Sentence

his quirkily dysfunctional family proved to be a bottomless well of inspiration for the novelist
the spot where the spring bubbles up to the surface and forms a deep well

Recent Examples of well from the Web

Podgorski’s team started by measuring arsenic levels in groundwater samples collected from around 1200 wells throughout Pakistan at depths from 3 to 70 meters.

— giorgia guglielmi, Science | AAAS, "Arsenic in drinking water threatens up to 60 million in Pakistan," 23 Aug. 2017
Make a well in the center; add eggs, yogurt, oil, and citrus zest and whisk to combine.

— Bon Appetit, "Blackberry-Tahini Yogurt Cake," 15 Aug. 2017
Having the subdivision on well and septic is not a concern, Pettit said, pointing out that all five subdivisions in the panhandle area are similarly designed.

— karen caffarini, Post-Tribune, "Equestrian home plan revised in Merrillville," 4 Aug. 2017
Bloom said the department has been in communication with Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall regarding its plans to lease the wells.

— kirsten clark, The Courier-Journal, "City of Charlestown doesn't even own the wells it wants to lease, Indiana says," 1 Aug. 2017
Many of us know the effects of diet on one's health, but fail to realize that diet plays a huge role in more than just your personal well-being.

— kaleigh fasanella, Teen Vogue, "Professional Surfer Tia Blanco Talks Sexism, Body Image, and Vegan Favorites," 28 July 2017
But an ample and growing body of evidence shows that later class start times have significant benefits, not only for students' rest but also for their academic performance and even social-emotional well-being.

— allison ross, The Courier-Journal, "Are JCPS, other districts starting too early for teens? Research may be a wake-up call," 19 July 2017
About 60 percent of the wells have now been taken out of operation and isolated from the facility, according to DOGGR and the CPUC.

— rob nikolewski, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Aliso Canyon pronounced safe to come back online," 19 July 2017
On Monday, the body of 23-year-old Jennifer Nevin was discovered by a gas well worker.

— carol robinson, AL.com, "69-year-old found dead in bed; Tuscaloosa County lawmen probing 2nd murder in 2 days," 18 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of well

Middle English welle, from Old English; akin to Old English weallan to bubble, boil, Old High German wella wave, Lithuanian vilnis

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

well Synonyms

Synonyms

cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, seedbed, spring, source, wellspring

Related Words

beginning, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go (also git-go), inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold; baseline, first base, ground zero, square one

Other Civil Engineering Terms

asphalt, ballast, barrage, cantilever, infrastructure, sluice

well

verb

Definition of well

intransitive verb

1 :to rise to the surface and usually flow forth

tears welled from her eyes

2 :to rise like a flood of liquid

longing welled up in his breast

transitive verb

:to emit in a copious free flow

See well defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of well from the Web

As Rogers looked at the photo, her eyes welled with tears.

— james e. causey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Girl holding priest's hand in iconic photo reflects on 50 years since Milwaukee civil rights marches," 24 Aug. 2017
As the moon moved over the sun, Colleen Mather laid on her blanket looking up at the sky, with tears welling in her eyes.

— alicia fabbre, Daily Southtown, "Nearly 2,000 attend Oak Lawn library eclipse event," 21 Aug. 2017
Our nightly war fueled a mutual resentment that welled up like water in a dam.

— jeff vrabel, GQ, "Why I Stopped Sleeping With the Love of My Life," 11 Aug. 2017
My mom, god bless her heart, defended me till her face was red and tears welled up in her eyes.

— suzannah weiss, Teen Vogue, "Mall Security Guards Escorted This College Student Out Because Her Bra Was Showing," 7 July 2017
Watching Moore speak, tears welled in the woman’s eyes and her lips shook.

— adam tamburin, USA TODAY, "Jury: Brandon E. Banks guilty in Vanderbilt rape case," 23 June 2017
Salas pulled up a video of their old neighborhood on her phone to show Bittar, but her eyes welled with tears as the images shifted to bombed-out vestiges of what life used to be.

— kate morrissey, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Syrian refugee family celebrates Ramadan, but misses son," 16 June 2017
Cut to: my mother welling up in tears, and then Patti and Jesse Smith @michiganmanhattan Imagine!

— lisa respers france, CNN, "Yoko Ono getting 'Imagine' songwriting credit," 15 June 2017
Cut to my mother welling up in tears, and then Patti and Jesse Smith played 'Imagine'!

— steve marinucci, Billboard, "NMPA Honors John Lennon's 'Imagine' with Centennial Song Award, Surprises Yoko Ono by Declaring Her Co-Writer," 15 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of well

Middle English, from Old English wellan to cause to well; akin to Old English weallan to bubble, boil

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

See Words from the same year

well

adverb

Definition of well

better play \ˈbe-tər\; best play \ˈbest\

1 a :in a good or proper manner :justly, rightly

b :satisfactorily with respect to conduct or action

did well in math

works well under pressure

2 :in a kindly or friendly manner

spoke well of your idea

wished them well

3 a :with skill or aptitude :expertly, excellently

paints well

b :satisfactorily

the plan worked well

c :with good appearance or effect :elegantly

carried himself well

4 :with careful or close attention :attentively

watch well what I do

5 :to a high degree

well deserved the honor

a well-equipped kitchen

—often used as an intensifier or qualifier

there are … vacancies pretty well all the time
—Listener

6 :fully, quite

well worth the price

7 a :in a way appropriate to the facts or circumstances :fittingly, rightly

well said

b :in a prudent manner :sensibly —used with do

you would do well to reread the material

8 :in accordance with the occasion or circumstances :with propriety or good reason

cannot well refuse

the decision may well be questioned

9 a :as one could wish :pleasingly

the idea didn't sit well with her

b :with material success :advantageously

married well

10 a :easily, readily

could well afford a new car

b :in all likelihood :indeed

it may well be true

11 :in a prosperous or affluent manner

he lives well

12 :to an extent approaching completeness :thoroughly

after being well dried with a towel

13 :without doubt or question :clearly

well knew the penalty

14 :in a familiar manner

knew her well

15 :to a large extent or degree :considerably, far

well over a million

— as well

1 :in addition :also

there were other features as well

2 :to the same extent or degree :as much

open as well to the poor as to the rich

3 :with equivalent, comparable, or more favorable effect

might just as well have stayed home

See well defined for English-language learners

good vs. well

Adverbial good has been under attack from the schoolroom since the 19th century. Insistence on well rather than good has resulted in a split in connotation: well is standard, neutral, and colorless, while good is emotionally charged and emphatic. This makes good the adverb of choice in sports.

- "I'm seeing the ball real good" is what you hear
- —Roger Angell

In such contexts as

- listen up. And listen good
- —Alex Karras
- lets fly with his tomatoes before they can flee. He gets Clarence good
- —Charles Dickinson

good cannot be adequately replaced by well. Adverbial good is primarily a spoken form; in writing it occurs in reported and fictional speech and in generally familiar or informal contexts.

Examples of well in a Sentence

“How did everything go?” “It went well, thank you.”
She works well under pressure.
I did surprisingly well on my history test.
The company is doing well.
He has his own business and is doing well for himself.
You got a perfect score! Well done!
She sings and plays the guitar quite well.
The essay is well written.
He doesn't smoke or drink, and he eats well.
She doesn't treat her boyfriend very well.

Recent Examples of well from the Web

Being PUSD’s superintendent has been challenging so far, Kim-Phelps said, but exciting as well.

— emily sorensen, Pomerado News, "PUSD superintendent excited over job, challenges," 19 July 2017
The clear-up operation will do much to determine whether the government wins the war as well as the battle.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end," 5 July 2017
Parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to meet with exhibitors and gather information on afterschool activities, tutoring options, special needs programs, sports and arts programs, as well as information on health, safety and fitness.

— South Florida Parenting, "Back-to-School Splash at Westfield Mall," 5 July 2017
The all-CIF recognition complements Roe's Valley League honors which included being named player of the year for 2017 as well as selection to the all-league first team.

— joe naiman, Ramona Sentinel, "Prep Baseball: Roe selected to all-CIF second team," 5 July 2017
Across social media platforms, all was well, with their snaps even getting a little racy at times.

— ruth kinane, EW.com, "Keeping up with the craziness: A timeline of Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna's relationship," 5 July 2017
The group includes fire-safety officials from 28 countries, including China, India and South Africa, as well as the U.S. and most European nations.

— Bloomberg.com, "London’s Fire Symptomatic of Larger Safety Issues Globally," 27 June 2017
The NRC oversees the nation’s commercial nuclear power plants, as well as storage and disposal of nuclear waste and other issues related to nuclear power.

— matthew daly, The Seattle Times, "Senate confirms nuclear chief Svinicki to new 5-year term," 26 June 2017
Highland and Munster scored well in crime rate, median income and commute time.

— karen caffarini, Post-Tribune, "Area towns, cities make state's most happy list," 26 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of well

Middle English wel, going back to Old English, going back to Germanic *welō (whence Old Frisian wol, wel, wal "in a good manner," Old Saxon wola, wela, wala, Old High German wola, Old Norse vel, val), from an adjectival derivative of the base of *weljan- "to want" — more at ¹will

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

well Synonyms

well

interjection

Definition of well

1 —used to indicate resumption of discourse or to introduce a remark

they are, well, not quite what you'd expect

2 —used to express surprise or expostulation

well, what have we here?

See well defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of well from the Web

Having a good, well-rounded family emergency plan and some basic emergency supplies in place can put your mind at ease and go a long way to making the aftermath of an unexpected event more bearable.

— rebecca mcbane, South Florida Parenting, "Don't Wait for the Storm: The most important step in a Family Emergency Plan is to make one," 30 Aug. 2017
If such practices made going about the activities of daily life terrifying for Arpaio’s Latino constituents (especially the undocumented ones), well, that was the point.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "‘Sheriff Joe’ and Everyday American Authoritarianism," 30 Aug. 2017
Well, the knock-it-off suggestion is a good place to start.

— jeffrey kluger, Time, "7 Signs You're Dealing With a Passive-Aggressive Person," 30 Aug. 2017
If the 10 pilot subjects tolerate the treatment well and no safety issues arise— seizures are the primary concern—Steele’s group will launch a double-blind phase II trial with 60 cocaine users.

— meredith wadman, Science | AAAS, "Brain-altering magnetic pulses could zap cocaine addiction," 29 Aug. 2017
Well, the good people there need to do more to stop the evil their state pushes.

— ramsey touchberry, USA TODAY College, "Instructor calls Harvey 'karma' for Texas Republicans. University fires him.," 29 Aug. 2017
Well, convicting someone of contempt is the one and only way the judicial branch can put muscle behind its decisions.

— nardine saad, latimes.com, "Trevor Noah says Trump's pardon of Sheriff Arpaio renders courts powerless," 29 Aug. 2017
September's about to be lit (well, as lit as classic Disney films can get).

— lindsey lanquist, SELF, "Everything Coming to Netflix in September 2017," 23 Aug. 2017
Synthetic strings, for example, may not have been this capable of producing actual emotion, since, well, the early-’80s that Granduciel so often references.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "The Classic-Rock Ecstasy of The War on Drugs," 23 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of well

before 12th century

well Synonyms

Synonyms

ah, aha, come on, fie, indeed, my word, pshaw, no, what, why

Related Words

gee, gee whiz, ha, hello, hey, lo, oh; fiddlesticks, phooey, pooh; there; oops (or whoops also woops), ugh; egad, gad, gadzooks [archaic], the deuce, the devil, the dickens, zounds

well

adjective

Definition of well

1 a :prosperous, well-off

b :being in satisfactory condition or circumstances

2 :being in good standing or favor

3 :satisfactory, pleasing

all's well that ends well

4 :advisable, desirable

it might be well for you to leave

5 a :free or recovered from infirmity or disease :healthy

he's not a well man

b :completely cured or healed

the wound is nearly well

6 :pleasing or satisfactory in appearance

our garden looks well
—Conrad Aiken

7 :being a cause for thankfulness :fortunate

it is well that this has happened

See well defined for English-language learners

good vs. well

An old notion that it is wrong to say "I feel good" in reference to health still occasionally appears in print. The origins of this notion are obscure, but they seem to combine someone's idea that good should be reserved to describe virtue and uncertainty about whether an adverb or an adjective should follow feel. Today nearly everyone agrees that both good and well can be predicate adjectives after feel. Both are used to express good health, but good may connote good spirits in addition to good health.

Examples of well in a Sentence

The children are well again.
I don't feel very well.
You don't look so well.
I hope you get well soon.
I hope all is well with you and your family.

Recent Examples of well from the Web

The stewardess’ action has triggered a wave of support as well condemnation, putting the spotlight on how women in modern Russia are still often judged by their physical appearance.

— nataliya vasilyeva, The Seattle Times, "Russian flight attendant sues airline for discrimination," 21 Aug. 2017
The challenge in a system supplied by both is to treat the water taken from the river so its flavor is indistinguishable from that of the well water.

— andrew maykuth, Philly.com, "'Dr. Water' is hanging up his lab coat after three decades," 18 Aug. 2017
The sentiment is admirable and well meaning, but the deaths of Taliesin Meche and Ricky Best, Timothy Caughman, Richard Collins III, the nine victims in the Charleston massacre, and others tell a different story.

— joshua adams, Longreads, "What Thomas Jefferson Taught Me About Charlottesville and America," 17 Aug. 2017
In 2013 NSF’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), an internal independent watchdog, decided to see how well universities were complying with the requirement.

— jeffrey mervis, Science | AAAS, "Despite policy's weaknesses, NSF to reiterate stance on teaching good research habits," 17 Aug. 2017
Now, as Auburn tries to pin down its best five-man unit up front, Horton has positioned himself well to lock down the starting job at left guard.

— tom green, AL.com, "Mike Horton 'determined' to lock down Auburn's starting left guard job," 14 Aug. 2017
Speaking of babushkas, the Louis Vuitton x Supreme frenzy is alive and well in Russia.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "The Best Fashion Instagrams of the Week: Everyone is On Vacation, Supreme is Big in Russia, and Solange Takes a Mirror Selfie," 12 Aug. 2017
The massive infrastructure plan that Trump promised seems dead well before arrival, killed by non-Trumpist Republicans who had little interest in a huge spending plan straight from the Democratic playbook—no matter if Trump’s voters liked the idea.

— david a. graham, The Atlantic, "Trump Is Losing His Battle With the Republican Party," 8 Aug. 2017
Two men found inside Pamela Cote's Windsor Court apartment when police went there on Oct. 27 to check on her well being were questioned in her death and on Friday one of them was charged with murder.

— david owens, courant.com, "Acquaintance Charged In 62-Year-Old Enfield Woman's Death," 4 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of well

before 12th century

well Synonyms

Synonyms

able-bodied, bouncing, fit, hale, hearty, robust, sound, healthy, well-conditioned, whole, wholesome

Antonyms

ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell

Related Words

hard, hardy, iron, lusty, rugged, stalwart, strong, sturdy, tough; ambulatory, nondisabled, uncrippled; active, agile, chipper, lively, sprightful, sprightly, spry, vigorous, vital; blooming, clean-cut, flourishing, flush, prospering, thriving; all right, good, right

Near Antonyms

decrepit, enfeebled, feeble, infirm, run-down, sickened, sickly, weak, weakened, weakly, worn-out; challenged, crippled, debilitated, differently abled, disabled, halt, incapacitated, lame; delicate, fragile, frail; emaciated, gaunt, haggard, malnourished, undernourished; afflicted, troubled; bad, poorly

Synonym Discussion of well

healthy, sound, wholesome, robust, hale, well mean enjoying or indicative of good health. healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

- a healthy family

sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

- a sound heart

wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

- a face with a wholesome glow

robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

- a lively, robust little boy

hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

- still hale at the age of eighty

well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

- she has never been a well person

WELL Defined for English Language Learners

well

play

noun

Definition of well for English Language Learners

: a deep hole made in the ground through which water can be removed

well

verb

Definition of well for English Language Learners

of a liquid : to rise to a surface and flow out

well

adverb

Definition of well for English Language Learners

: in a successful way
: in a skillful way
: in a good, proper, or positive way

well

interjection

Definition of well for English Language Learners

—used to show that you are unsure about something you are saying
—used to show that you accept something even though you are not happy about it
—used when you are trying to persuade someone or to make someone feel less upset, worried, etc.

well

adjective

Definition of well for English Language Learners

: in good health
: in a good or satisfactory state
: wise, sensible, or reasonable

WELL Defined for Kids

well

play

adverb \ ˈwel \

Definition of well for Students

better \ˈbe-tər\; best \ˈbest\

1 :in a skillful or expert manner

He plays the guitar well.

2 :by as much as possible :completely

We are well aware of the problem.

3 :in such a way as to be pleasing :as wanted

Everything went well.

4 :without trouble

We could well afford the cost.

5 :in a thorough manner

Shake well before using.

6 :in a familiar manner

I know them well.

7 :by quite a lot

There was well over a million.

8 :so as to be right :in a satisfactory way

Do your work well.

9 :in a complimentary or generous way

They always speak well of you.

10 :with reason or courtesy

I cannot well refuse.

— as well

1 :in addition :also She has other hobbies as well.

2 :with the same result

We might as well walk.

well

interjection

Definition of well for Students

1 —used to express surprise or doubt

2 —used to begin a conversation or remark or to continue one that was interrupted

well

noun

Definition of well for Students

1 :a hole made in the earth to reach a natural deposit (as of water, oil, or gas)

2 :a source of supply

He was a well of news.

3 :something like a deep hole Voices echoed in the well of the great hall.

well

adjective

Definition of well for Students

1 :being in a satisfactory or good state

All is well.

2 :free or recovered from ill health :healthy

3 :fortunate 1

It was well that we left.

well

verb

Definition of well for Students

welled; welling

:to rise to the surface and flow out

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Medical Dictionary

well

play

adjective \ ˈwel \

medical Definition of well

1 :free or recovered from infirmity or disease :healthy

a well person

2 :completely cured or healed

the wound is nearly well

Learn More about well

See words that rhyme with well Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for well Spanish Central: Translation of well Nglish: Translation of well for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of well for Arabic speakers

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well

Definition of well

From the M-W Editors

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Origin and Etymology of well

well Synonyms

Synonyms

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Other Civil Engineering Terms

well

Definition of well

Recent Examples of well from the Web

Origin and Etymology of well

well

Definition of well

good vs. well

Examples of well in a Sentence

Recent Examples of well from the Web

Origin and Etymology of well

well Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

well

Definition of well

Recent Examples of well from the Web

First Known Use of well

well Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

well

Definition of well

good vs. well

Examples of well in a Sentence

Recent Examples of well from the Web

First Known Use of well

well Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of well

WELL Defined for English Language Learners

well

Definition of well for English Language Learners

well

Definition of well for English Language Learners

well

Definition of well for English Language Learners

well

Definition of well for English Language Learners

well

Definition of well for English Language Learners

WELL Defined for Kids

well

Definition of well for Students

well

Definition of well for Students

well

Definition of well for Students

well

Definition of well for Students

well

Definition of well for Students

Medical Dictionary

well

medical Definition of well

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