well
noun
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Definition of well
(Entry 1 of 5)
2a : 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
3a : 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
5a : a space having a construction or shape suggesting a well for water
b : the area behind a bar in which items used most frequently by a bartender are kept
6a : 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
well
verbDefinition of well (Entry 2 of 5)
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
: to emit in a copious free flow
well
adverb
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best\ˈbest
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Definition of well (Entry 3 of 5)
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
3a : 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
7a : 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
9a : as one could wish : pleasingly the idea didn't sit well with her
b : with material success : advantageously married well
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
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
well
interjectionDefinition of well (Entry 4 of 5)
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?
well
adjectiveDefinition of well (Entry 5 of 5)
1a : 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
5a : 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
8 of liquor : used for making mixed drinks when no branded alcohol is specified also : made with well liquor a well drink
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Synonyms & Antonyms for well
Synonyms: Noun
cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, wellspring
Synonyms: Adverb
all, all of, all over, altogether, clean, completely, dead, enough, entirely, even, exactly, fast, flat, full, fully, heartily, out, perfectly, plumb [chiefly dialect], quite, soundly, thoroughly, through and through, totally, utterly, wholly, wide
Synonyms: Interjection
ah, aha, come on, fie, indeed, no, pshaw, what, why
Synonyms: Adjective
able-bodied, bouncing, fit, hale, healthy, hearty, robust, sound, well-conditioned, whole, wholesome
Antonyms: Adverb
half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly
Antonyms: Adjective
ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell
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Examples of well in a Sentence
Noun
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 wellAdverb
“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.Adjective
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 on the Web: Noun
The methane gas that is produced as the trash percolates and decomposes is an energy source that is collected by 500 gas wells. — Anne Geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Mount Trashmore, the landfill that's over 20 stories, will grow bigger and taller," 13 July 2018 Desperate to keep their crops alive, farmers in Fresno County drilled 763 new wells in 2015 alone, according to the Department of Water Resources. — Dale Kasler And Phillip Reese, sacbee, "The Valley floor is sinking, and it’s crippling California’s ability to deliver water," 13 July 2018 But such a hubristic folly, with its global ramifications, offers an endless well of possibilities. — Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Lehman Trilogy': Theater Review," 13 July 2018 To begin recovery efforts, archaeologists created wells in the temple dedicated to Tláloc and a corridor separating the two temples. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Earthquake Reveals 12th-Century Temple Hidden Within Aztec Pyramid," 12 July 2018 The Forges Field Well Development Project — which also includes 3.5 miles of water main, a well station and a valve control station — is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2020. — Johanna Seltz, BostonGlobe.com, "Plymouth to increase water supply with new well," 12 July 2018 Paths through the thick Springer’s Point underbrush also lead to a covered well where old-time mariners went for hard-to-find fresh water. — John Bordsen, USA TODAY, "N.C.'s haul from ‘native son’ Blackbeard's 300th anniversary: Tourist gold," 22 June 2018 The townhouse was the same one where EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt lived for several months in 2017, reportedly paying a well-below-market rate of $50 per night. — Cynthia Sewell, idahostatesman, "$192,000 for his wife. 81 uses of a lobbyist's home. Crapo election funds draw scrutiny," 20 June 2018 Along the way, Wili and Miller made many friends and the rector hoped to tap into that well for the current drive. — Kim Chatelain, NOLA.com, "Covington priest takes off on televangelist Jesse Duplantis' $54 million drive to buy jet," 31 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
As millions of people watched on live TV, the 33-year-old royal welled up just as the former Suits actress, 36, joined him at the altar, and he was seen wiping away the touching tears. — Nick Maslow, PEOPLE.com, "Prince Harry Bit His Lip at His Wedding to Meghan Markle — and the Internet Is Hilariously 'Mad'," 21 May 2018 Every now and then, a moment will arise where the enormity of it all sits on my shoulders and then wells up inside. — Christopher Wallenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "On Broadway, feeling love for Donna Summer," 19 Apr. 2018 As our line of sight shifted to the point where the small island came between us and the mirage, regret began to well up at the thought of losing that magnificent show. — Longreads, "The Quest for the Collision Zone: An Arctic Expedition," 12 Mar. 2018 The resolve of 2014 welled up in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Crimea and southern Ukraine. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Winning on NATO," 13 June 2018 Daly, long-retired, was among those who got a heads-up call, and 40 years of emotions welled up. — Anchorage Daily News, "With taunts and guile, the Golden State Killer left a trail of horror," 28 Apr. 2018 The 33-year-old royal welled up just as Meghan joined him at the altar at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Prince Harry Wipes Away Tears at Royal Wedding After Joining Meghan Markle at Altar," 19 May 2018 The work initiative polls well with voters, especially those in the GOP political base. — Andrew Taylor, chicagotribune.com, "Conservative revolt over immigration sinks House farm bill," 18 May 2018 The work initiative polls well with voters, especially those in the GOP political base. — Andrew Taylor, BostonGlobe.com, "Conservative revolt over immigration sinks House farm bill," 18 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Surface plugs work well near bait pods at daybreak for trout and reds. — Mark Blythe, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Central Florida fishing forecast: July 16," 15 July 2018 Since then, Lucky has done remarkably well, according to Bearizona spokesperson April White. — Scott Craven, azcentral, "Born of tragedy, newborn elk triumphs thanks to kindness of strangers," 12 July 2018 There are a handful of other miscellaneous updates to glean from the patch notes as well. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "Fortnite season 5 introduces temporal rifts, golf carts, and new locations," 12 July 2018 Investors monitor the revenue that airlines generate for each seat flown a mile as a sign of how well the industry is managing capacity. — Alison Sider, WSJ, "Delta to Increase Fares, Trim Flights as Fuel Prices Rise," 12 July 2018 Louisville has also done well in managing the tempo of Syracuse’s no-huddle offense. — Jake Lourim, The Courier-Journal, "Why Louisville football can (and can’t) beat Syracuse," 11 July 2018 The severity of that damage wholly depends on how well your skin is able to repair itself, the kind of scrubs used, and the frequency and intensity of use. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "Are You Exfoliating Your Face Wrong?," 11 July 2018 The eight boys brought out by divers on Sunday and Monday were doing well and were in good spirits, a senior health official said. — Anchorage Daily News, "After daring rescue, entire Thai soccer team is out of cave," 10 July 2018 Aside from the obvious difference that Eve will have aged 18 years between the two movies, Banks is promising more updates as well. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Everything We Know About "Life-Size 2" So Far," 10 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Interjection
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. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Their well-mannered outcry shows how attitudes towards Singapore’s past are shifting. — The Economist, "Singapore’s Brutalist past could soon be gone," 31 May 2018 Sleeper team: Dearborn Divine Child came into the postseason unranked but has handled its opponents well, including an extra-inning win over No. — Tom Lang, Detroit Free Press, "High school softball state championship predictions," 13 June 2018 A day after Boughton collapsed at a Republican meet-and-greet in Avon, Walker sent him a get-well flower arrangement for $72.26. — Russell Blair, courant.com, "Finance Reports Show Wealthy Businessmen Are Pouring Their Cash Into Outsider Gubernatorial Bids," 12 Apr. 2018 Contemporary furniture, particularly that which echoes the mid-century styles made popular on Mad Men, lends itself well to the kind of curated minimalism that garners the most likes on social media. — Sean Santiago, ELLE Decor, "I May Be A Millennial, But I Don't Decorate Like One," 25 Jan. 2016 The majority of the high court’s decisions are unanimous or near-unanimous, a sign of how well justices can serve as a model of collective self-government. — The Christian Science Monitor, "A big question for Trump’s Supreme Court nominee," 10 July 2018 Adams defeated a state legislator in her Democratic primary and will likely be looked upon as a yardstick to see how well African-American women can do in the Deep South. — Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Gov. Attica Scott? Louisville Democrat 'seriously considering' 2019 run," 5 July 2018 The extent to which these technologies will displace workers (and how quickly) will depend on how well government and corporations in California can align around industry-specific transition plans. — Amy Chance, sacbee, "'Not all machines are evil,' and other thoughts on California's changing economy," 2 July 2018 Those facts have prompted a new line of firearms injury research focusing not just on whether and how well state gun laws work to reduce gun injuries, but how a neighboring state can support or undermine a state's efforts to curb gun violence. — Melissa Healy, latimes.com, "The stronger a state's gun laws, the lower its rate of gun-related homicides and suicides," 5 Mar. 2018These 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.
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Learn More about well
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
Can You 'Feel Good'?
Can You 'Feel Good'?
We certainly hope so.
Yes, 'Welp' Is a Real Word
Yes, 'Welp' Is a Real Word
'Welp' is over 70 years old
Statistics for well
Last Updated
20 Oct 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for well
The first known use of well was before the 12th century
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More Definitions for well
well
noun
English Language Learners Definition of well
(Entry 1 of 5)
: a deep hole made in the ground through which water can be removed
well
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of well (Entry 2 of 5)
of a liquid : to rise to a surface and flow out
well
adverbEnglish Language Learners Definition of well (Entry 3 of 5)
: in a successful way
: in a skillful way
: in a good, proper, or positive way
well
interjectionEnglish Language Learners Definition of well (Entry 4 of 5)
—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
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of well (Entry 5 of 5)
: in good health
: in a good or satisfactory state
: wise, sensible, or reasonable
See the full definition for well in the English Language Learners Dictionary
well
adverb
\
Kids Definition of well
(Entry 1 of 5)
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.
1 : in addition : also She has other hobbies as well.
2 : with the same result We might as well walk.
well
interjectionKids Definition of well (Entry 2 of 5)
1 —used to express surprise or doubt
2 —used to begin a conversation or remark or to continue one that was interrupted
well
nounKids Definition of well (Entry 3 of 5)
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
adjectiveKids Definition of well (Entry 4 of 5)
1 : being in a satisfactory or good state All is well.
2 : free or recovered from ill health : healthy
3 : fortunate sense 1 It was well that we left.
well
verbKids Definition of well (Entry 5 of 5)
: to rise to the surface and flow out Tears welled up in her eyes.
well
adjective
\
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
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Comments on well
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