1
: being in good condition or favorable circumstances
doesn't know when he's well-off
2
: well provided : having no lack
usually used with for
3
a
: being in easy or affluent circumstances : well-to-do
b
: suggesting prosperity
the house had a sleek well-off look

Examples of well-off in a Sentence

a well-off couple adopted the baby
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.
That’s because well-off Angelenos tend to live on mountains and hillsides and in canyons that are covered in highly flammable chaparral, which are an excellent breeding ground for rapidly spreading fires, driven by Santa Ana winds of up to 100 mph. Todd Longwell, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025 Spending by well-off Americans, driven by their surging stock portfolios, is the single most significant driver of growth. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025 Other chains have also begun highlighting the concerns of less-well-off customers. Rob Wile, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025 Poe contends that individuals who are less financially well-off have a greater incentive to commit auto insurance fraud than higher-income individuals. Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025 While the Israeli bombing of Iran’s capital targeted both wealthy and less well-off areas of Tehran, residents with means and access to extra fuel amid a fuel shortage were able to flee the city and even the country. Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025 But while price tags climb and well-off consumers shell out, auto loan delinquency rates among people with low credit ratings are sitting near all-time highs. Alex Harring, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 Matthiessen was born in 1927 to a pair of well-off, chronically depressed New Yorkers, people who were more likely to pour a stiff drink or take to their beds than to talk openly about their feelings. Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 For better or worse, the richest have long been able to wrest stars from the less well-off; there is, though, a welcome debate to be had about how much PSR solidifies the status quo. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of well-off was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Well-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well-off. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

well-off

adjective
-ˈȯf
1
: being in good condition or in a good situation
2

More from Merriam-Webster on well-off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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