Welcome — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb interjection adjective noun /ˈwel-kəm/ wel·come

Meaning & Definition of Welcome

Welcome (verb)

  1. to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality
  2. to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of

Welcome (interjection)

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

Welcome (adjective)

  1. received gladly into one's presence or companionship
  2. giving pleasure, received with gladness or delight especially in response to a need
  3. willingly permitted or admitted

Welcome (noun)

  1. a greeting or reception usually upon arrival
  2. the state of being welcome

Welcome (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to receive or accept gladly or readily

    "the eager recruits welcomed every new project with which they were presented"

    similar: drink (in), eat (up), embrace, lap (up)
    related: adopt, espouse, take up, greet, hail, enjoy, like, prefer, cherry-pick, choose, cull, decide (on), elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, select, single (out), take
    near: balk (at), decline, pass up, refuse, reject, spurn, throw over, turn down, demur (to), object (to)

Welcome (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses

    "a welcome chance to rest after a long journey"

    similar: agreeable, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable, delicious, delightful, delightsome, dreamy, dulcet, enjoyable, felicitous, good, grateful, gratifying, heavenly, jolly, luscious, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, pretty, satisfying, savory, sweet, tasty
    related: alluring, attractive, desirable, enviable, inviting, relishable, tempting, charming, enchanting, fascinating, calming, comforting, soothing, amusing, diverting, entertaining, recreative, affable, amiable, cheerful, cheery, comfortable, gemütlich, genial, goodly, good-natured, gracious, hospitable, kindly, personable, blissful, felicific, glad, happy, joyous, elating, exhilarating, intoxicating, ecstatic, euphoric, nirvanic, rapturous
    opposite: disagreeable, pleasureless, unpalatable, unpleasant, unwelcome
    near: abominable, ghastly, god-awful, hellish, horrid, miserable, wretched, bilious, disgusting, distasteful, obnoxious, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revulsive, unsavory, vile, yucky, abhorrent, detestable, hateful, odious, boring, commonplace, dull, flat, insipid, irksome, stale, tedious, displeasing, dissatisfying, depressing, disheartening, dismal, dreary, gloomy, heartbreaking, heartrending, joyless, lachrymose, sad, unhappy, deplorable, doleful, dolorous, lamentable, lugubrious, mournful, regrettable, sorrowful, tragic, aggravating, annoying, exasperating, irritating, peeving, perturbing, vexing, forbidding, hostile, intimidating, angering, enraging, incensing, inflaming, infuriating, maddening, outraging, rankling, riling, distressing, disturbing, upsetting

Welcome (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an expression of goodwill upon meeting

    "offered a warm welcome to the stranger"

    similar: greeting, hello, salutation, salute
    related: ave, hail, amenities, civilities, pleasantries, regards, respects, wishes
    opposite: adieu, bon voyage, congé, farewell, Godspeed, good-bye

Related Entry: Welcome mat (noun)

Welcome mat is a different word from Welcome. The synonyms below are for welcome mat, not for welcome.

  1. as in open door

    similar: open door, approval, authorization, certification, permission, qualification, access, accession, admission, admittance, door, doorway, entrance, entrée, entry, gateway, ingress, key, passport, ticket
    opposite: discharge, dismissal, ejection, expulsion, ouster, rejection, removal

Related Entry: Welcome mats (noun)

Welcome mats is a different word from Welcome. The synonyms below are for welcome mats, not for welcome.

  1. as in open doors

    similar: open doors, approvals, authorizations, certifications, permissions, qualifications, accesses, accessions, admissions, admittances, doors, doorways, entrances, entrées, entries, gateways, ingresses, keys, passports, tickets
    opposite: discharges, dismissals, ejections, expulsions, ousters, rejections, removals

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Welcome

The most common words with a similar meaning to Welcome:

drink (in), eat (up), embrace, lap (up), agreeable, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable, delicious, delightful, delightsome, dreamy, dulcet, enjoyable, felicitous, good, grateful, gratifying, heavenly, jolly, luscious, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, pretty, satisfying, savory, sweet, tasty, greeting, hello, salutation, salute

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Welcome

Words with the opposite meaning of Welcome:

disagreeable, pleasureless, unpalatable, unpleasant, unwelcome, adieu, bon voyage, congé, farewell, Godspeed, good-bye

Related Words for Welcome

adopt, espouse, take up, greet, hail, enjoy, like, prefer, cherry-pick, choose, cull, decide (on), elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, select, single (out), take, alluring, attractive, desirable, enviable, inviting, relishable, tempting, charming, enchanting, fascinating

Near Antonyms of Welcome

balk (at), decline, pass up, refuse, reject, spurn, throw over, turn down, demur (to), object (to), abominable, ghastly, god-awful, hellish, horrid, miserable, wretched, bilious, disgusting, distasteful, obnoxious, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revulsive, unsavory, vile, yucky, abhorrent

Word Forms of Welcome

Inflections: welcomed, welcoming

Derived words: welcomer (noun), welcomely (adverb), welcomeness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Welcome

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

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Welcome

Words & Phrases Containing Welcome

welcome mat, hero's welcome, outstay one's welcome, overstay one's welcome, put/roll/throw out the welcome mat, wear out one's welcome

Frequently Asked Questions about Welcome

What does "Welcome" mean?

"Welcome" means to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality. As an a verb, an interjection, an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Welcome"?

Other words for "Welcome" include drink (in), eat (up), embrace, lap (up), agreeable, blessed, congenial and darling. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Welcome" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Welcome"?

There are 105 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Welcome". Common alternatives include drink (in), eat (up), embrace, lap (up), agreeable, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable and delicious.

What is the opposite of "Welcome"?

Antonyms of "Welcome" include disagreeable, pleasureless, unpalatable, unpleasant, unwelcome, adieu, bon voyage and congé. Near antonyms include balk (at), decline, pass up and refuse.

How do you use "Welcome" in a sentence?

Examples of "Welcome" in a sentence: "the eager recruits welcomed every new project with which they were presented"; "a welcome chance to rest after a long journey"; "offered a warm welcome to the stranger".

Is "Welcome" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Welcome" can be used as a verb, an interjection, an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Welcome" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Welcome" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Welcome"?

"Welcome" is pronounced /ˈwel-kəm/ and divided into syllables as wel·come.