well

noun \ ˈwel \

Updated on: 10 Dec 2017

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

Most shale companies claim their wells generate a 20% rate of return or higher, even at today’s prices.

— sarah kent, WSJ, "Amid Low Prices, Oil Giants Gush About Breaking Even," 26 Oct. 2017
So is Sean Fortunato, who digs mineshaft-deep into his own emotional well to pull off Billy’s grieving dad.

— chris jones, chicagotribune.com, "Porchlight's Chicago cast of 'Billy Elliot' surely will win you over," 16 Oct. 2017
Since its well was damaged in 2015, the hamlet has relied on drinking water trucked in by the government.

— dan levin, New York Times, "Faded Yukon Gold Rush Town, Population 20, Mines Its Weirdness," 15 Oct. 2017
The entryway to the Casa Ceramica tile showroom in Manchester, England only looks like a sinkhole or gravity well is opening up underneath it.

— andrew moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Tile Floor Optical Illusion Might Give You Motion Sickness," 10 Oct. 2017
In late 2008, Cabot Oil & Gas began drilling natural gas wells in Dimock using a process called hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

— howard gensler, Philly.com, "As fracking lawsuits draw to a close, a look back at what happened in Dimock," 28 Sep. 2017
Government scientists tested his well in early August.

— michael rubinkam, The Seattle Times, "In ‘Gasland’ community, new tests revive old drilling debate," 2 Sep. 2017
Kelly will present the latest information about the water drawdown, including information about the study of the deep wells at the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant that provide a daily record of water drawdown dating back to World War II.

— susan demar lafferty, Daily Southtown, "Water shortage topic of Sept. 14 summit hosted by Will County organizations," 31 Aug. 2017
Donald Trump and Regis Philbin, for example, always want their meat medium-well or well-done, Delpique says.

— sam dangremond, Town & Country, "How to Make a Perfect Burger," 8 May 2015

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
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
Tears welled in the eyes of one of the most trusted men in America.

— deneen l. brown, Washington Post, "How America mourned John F. Kennedy: Images of grief for a fallen president," 26 Oct. 2017
The glare of the fluorescent lights felt sharp as panic welled up inside Spencer.

— amy dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "How Illinois bureaucracy robbed parents of a chance to save their children from a deadly disease," 4 Oct. 2017
Shania confessed during the interview, tears welling up in her eyes.

— taysha murtaugh, Country Living, "Shania Twain Speaks Out About Being Repeatedly Abused By Her Stepfather," 28 Sep. 2017
The vapour seems to be welling up from an ocean beneath the moon’s icy shell.

— The Economist, "AstronomyAfter exploring Saturn, Cassini faces a fiery end," 7 Sep. 2017
Pluto, far from the sun, constantly repaints its surface with new material, most likely liquids welling up from below and freezing on its surface.

— nola taylor redd, Discover Magazine, "Pluto and Ceres: Long Lost Twins?," 10 Nov. 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

From one angle, Bezos’ steady selloff of Amazon stock could simply be seen as part of the same sort of diversification strategy a typical investor might pursue, since the company is performing well.

— david z. morris, Fortune, "Jeff Bezos Sold $1.1 Billion Worth of His Amazon Stock," 5 Nov. 2017
But amenities haven't aged well and its location, according to some, has proved problematic.

— patrick brennan, Cincinnati.com, "Columbus Crew SC a cautionary tales for Cincinnati, others," 5 Nov. 2017
His faded buzz-cut and slightly longer beard are well balanced, and all the edges are nice and clean.

— megan gustashaw, GQ, "The Best Men's Grooming Moves We Saw This Week," 5 Nov. 2017
His sense of humor and contagious laugh were well known.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 11/5," 5 Nov. 2017
Churches, synagogues, and mosques influence life well outside their walls: People who belong to religious institutions are more civically engaged than their secular neighbors.

— emma green, The Atlantic, "The Quiet Religious-Freedom Fight That Is Remaking America," 5 Nov. 2017
That does not bode well for Tennessee, which ranks 31st in red-zone offense with only a 41.2 conversion rate.

— edward lee, baltimoresun.com, "Three stats that stand out ahead of Ravens game against the Titans on Sunday," 5 Nov. 2017
Tate throws well enough to burn a defense that overloads to stop his running.

— ken goe, OregonLive.com, "Will the Oregon Ducks' bowl hopes ride on the outcome of the Civil War? Issues & Answers," 5 Nov. 2017
Jackson knows well the severe violence Mason inflicted on his former wife.

— phillip morris, cleveland.com, "Frank Jackson hands Zack Reed a Hail Mary opportunity: Phillip Morris," 5 Nov. 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

Their well-being in the afterlife depended entirely on the reverence of living families, which was permanently and irrevocably cut off: their situation was as helpless as that of orphaned children.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "The Ghosts of the Tsunami," 25 Oct. 2017
The downgrade booted Equifax from a family of MSCI indexes that pick stocks based on how well companies perform on environmental, social and governance criteria, known by the shorthand ESG.

— asjylyn loder, WSJ, "A Warning Shot on Equifax: Index Provider Flagged Security Issues Last Year," 6 Oct. 2017
Another cause for concern: What navigator funds the federal government is giving out will be distributed based on how well agencies met their enrollment goals last year.

— margaret quann, Philly.com, "It's getting harder to sign up for ACA health insurance. Here are 9 things to do about it.," 4 Oct. 2017
So perhaps, the researchers speculated, exercise might alter how well people can control their impulses.

— gretchen reynolds, New York Times, "How Exercise Might Increase Your Self-Control," 27 Sep. 2017
That inventiveness extends to the design of the well house where the kids discover the locus of the town's nightmare.

— ben sachs, Chicago Reader, "Film / Paranormal The new It is an R-rated Disney movie," 14 Sep. 2017
Using tongs, transfer pasta to bowl and add guanciale; toss vigorously, adding more cooking liquid as needed until pasta is glossy and well coated with sauce.

— andy baraghani, Bon Appetit, "Pasta with Ramp Pesto and Guanciale," 19 Apr. 2017
The Office of Equal Opportunity, among other things, monitors how well companies comply with the Fannie Lewis law., which requires 20 percent of the jobs on public improvement contracts valued at $100,000 or more go to Cleveland residents.

— robert higgs, cleveland.com, "Lance Mason's hiring by Cleveland based on his qualifications, city insists," 1 Nov. 2017
The smash of two neutron stars lends itself well to deep, vibrant hues. Simmonet and Robin Dienel at the Carnegie Institution for Science elected to use a wide array of colors and drew bright cracking to show pressure forming at the merging.

— neel v. patel, Slate Magazine, "When Scientists Discovered Neutron Stars Colliding, How Did Artists Know What to Draw?," 18 Oct. 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

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

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

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

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Other Civil Engineering Terms

well

Definition of well

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Origin and Etymology of well

well

Definition of well

good vs. well

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Recent Examples of well from the Web

Origin and Etymology of well

well Synonyms

Synonyms

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well

Definition of well

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First Known Use of well

well Synonyms

Synonyms

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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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