Well — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adverb interjection adjective /ˈwel/

Meaning & Definition of Well

Well (noun)

  1. an issue of water from the earth, a pool fed by a spring
  2. source, origin
  3. a pit or hole sunk into the earth to reach a supply of water

Well (verb)

  1. to rise to the surface and usually flow forth
  2. to rise like a flood of liquid
  3. to emit in a copious free flow

Well (adverb)

  1. in a good or proper manner, justly, rightly
  2. satisfactorily with respect to conduct or action
  3. in a kindly or friendly manner

Well (interjection)

  1. —used to indicate resumption of discourse or to introduce a remark
  2. —used to express surprise or expostulation

Well (adjective)

  1. prosperous, well-off
  2. being in satisfactory condition or circumstances
  3. being in good standing or favor

Well (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. in a satisfactory way

    "our current system for dividing household chores works well, so let's keep it"

    similar: acceptably, adequately, all right, alright, creditably, decently, fine, good, middlingly, nicely, OK, passably, respectably, satisfactorily, serviceably, so-so, sufficiently, tolerably
    related: appropriately, aptly, congruously, correctly, decorously, felicitously, fittingly, happily, meetly, rightly, seemly, suitably, gratifyingly, satisfyingly, effectively, effectually, efficiently, neatly, tidily
    opposite: bad, badly, deficiently, ill, inadequately, insufficiently, intolerably, poorly, unacceptably, unsatisfactorily
    near: unbearably, inappropriately, incorrectly, indecently, unsuitably, awfully, deplorably, disastrously, dreadfully, horrendously, horribly, horridly, miserably, terribly

  2. in a generous manner

    "a warm and gracious host who always treats guests well"

    similar: amply, bounteously, bountifully, freehandedly, freeheartedly, generously, handsomely, lavishly, liberally, munificently, openhandedly, unstintingly
    related: considerately, courteously, hospitably, kindly, nicely, reasonably, sweetly, thoughtfully, affably, amiably, cheerfully, cheerily, congenially, cordially, friendlily, genially, good-heartedly, good-naturedly, graciously, selflessly, ungrudgingly, unselfishly, altruistically, beneficently, benevolently, bigheartedly, charitably, humanely, kindheartedly, magnanimously, philanthropically
    opposite: parsimoniously, stingily, ungenerously
    near: contemptuously, disdainfully, rudely, scornfully, obnoxiously, provocatively, coldly, coolly, frigidly, hostilely, angrily, belligerently, begrudgingly, grudgingly

  3. in a skillful or expert manner

    "she plays the piano very well"

    similar: ably, adeptly, adroitly, artfully, capably, competently, consummately, deftly, expertly, masterfully, masterly, proficiently, skillfully
    related: aptly, fluently, cleanly, cleverly, dexterously, neatly, nimbly, easily, facilely, handily
    opposite: amateurishly, artlessly, incapably, incompetently, inefficiently, ineptly, inexpertly, poorly, unskillfully
    near: inaptly, awkwardly, clumsily, crudely

  4. with good reason or courtesy

    "we cannot well get out of going to your cousin's wedding"

    similar: considerately, courteously, graciously, kindly, nicely, reasonably, thoughtfully
    related: pleasantly, excusably, fairly, justifiably, validly, discreetly, judiciously, prudently, sensibly, wisely, chivalrously, decorously, deferentially, gallantly, politely, respectfully, solicitously, compassionately, humanely, kindheartedly, sweetly, sympathetically
    opposite: discourteously, inconsiderately, thoughtlessly
    near: contemptuously, disdainfully, disrespectfully, impolitely, rudely, scornfully, snootily, cruelly, heartlessly, nastily, viciously, shabbily, unfairly

  5. in a pleasing way

    "the day went well, despite the rough beginning"

    similar: agreeably, charmingly, delectably, deliciously, delightfully, dreamily, enchantingly, enjoyably, favorably, felicitously, fetchingly, gloriously, gratifyingly, great, nicely, palatably, pleasantly, pleasingly, pleasurably, prettily, satisfyingly, splendidly, sweetly, swimmingly, welcomely, winningly
    related: finely, grandly, magnificently, advantageously, helpfully, blessedly, fortunately, happily, luckily, excellently, superbly, marvelously, sensationally, wonderfully, attractively, beautifully, handsomely, appealingly, appetizingly, enticingly, invitingly, temptingly
    opposite: badly, disagreeably, ill, unpleasantly
    near: abominably, appallingly, awfully, dreadfully, horrendously, horribly, horridly, shockingly, sickeningly, terribly, vilely, annoyingly, disgustingly, distressingly, irritatingly, vexingly

  6. to a full extent or degree

    "we are well aware that this home renovation is going to be costly"

    similar: all, all of, all over, altogether, clean, completely, dead, enough, entire, entirely, even, exactly, fast, flat, full, fully, heartily, out, perfectly, plumb (chiefly dialect), quite, soundly, thoroughly, through and through, totally, utterly, wholly, wide, all the way, at length, down the line, down to the ground, for fair, in whole, to bits, to pieces, to the hilt, to the max
    related: absolutely, categorically, cold, downright, hands down, plain, stone, stone-cold, unqualifiedly, basically, by and large, chiefly, generally, largely, mainly, more or less, mostly, overall, predominantly, predominately, primarily, principally, substantially, abundantly, copiously, generously, greatly
    opposite: half, halfway, incompletely, part, partially, partly
    near: barely, hardly, just, kind of, marginally, minimally, scarcely, slightly, superficially, approximately, roughly, somewhat

  7. without difficulty

    "he can well afford to spare the time"

    similar: easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently, freely, handily, hands down, lightly, painlessly, readily, smoothly, in a breeze, no sweat (slang), without ado, without a hitch
    related: ably, adeptly, adroitly, competently, deftly, dexterously, efficiently, expertly, masterfully, proficiently, skillfully, instinctively, intuitively, naturally, spontaneously
    opposite: arduously, hardly, laboriously, strenuously
    near: awkwardly, clumsily, gracelessly, ham-handedly, ineptly, maladroitly, unskillfully, meticulously, painfully, painstakingly, thoroughly, assiduously, diligently, indefatigably, industriously, intensely, intently, mightily, sedulously, tirelessly

Well (interjection) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. how surprising, doubtful, or unbelievable

    "well, that is odd!"

    similar: ah, aha, come on, fie, indeed, my word, no, pshaw, what, why
    related: gee, gee whiz, ha, hello, hey, lo, oh, fiddlesticks, phooey, pooh, there, oops, ugh, egad, gad, gadzooks (archaic), (the) deuce, the devil, the dickens, zounds

Well (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a point or place at which something is invented or provided

    "his quirkily dysfunctional family proved to be a bottomless well of inspiration for the novelist"

    similar: cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, wellspring
    related: beginning, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go, inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold, baseline, first base, ground zero, square one

  2. a small often deep body of water

    "the spot where the spring bubbles up to the surface and forms a deep well"

    similar: billabong (Australian), mere (chiefly British), pool, puddle, stank (British dialect)
    related: basin, hole, sinkhole, swimming pool, lake, pond, water hole

Well (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. enjoying health and vigor

    "my mother is quite well, thank you"

    similar: able-bodied, bouncing, fit, hale, healthy, hearty, robust, sound, well-conditioned, whole, wholesome, in fine fettle, in shape, in the pink
    related: 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
    opposite: ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell
    near: decrepit, enfeebled, feeble, infirm, run-down, sickened, sickly, weak, weakened, weakly, worn-out, debilitated, differently abled, disabled, incapacitated, delicate, fragile, frail, emaciated, gaunt, haggard, malnourished, undernourished, afflicted, troubled, bad, poorly

Related Entry: Better (adverb)

Better is a different word from Well. The synonyms below are for better, not for well.

  1. to a greater or higher extent

    "he knows property law better than anyone else"

    similar: more

Related Entry: Well-being (noun)

Well-being is a different word from Well. The synonyms below are for well-being, not for well.

  1. the state of doing well especially in relation to one's happiness or success

    "we're only doing this for your own well-being"

    similar: good, interest, weal, welfare
    related: fortune, prosperity, prosperousness, success, successfulness, fitness, health, healthiness, robustness, soundness, wellness, wholeness, wholesomeness, bliss, felicity, happiness, joy, advantage, benefit, gain, sake, content, contentedness, gratification, satisfaction
    opposite: ill-being
    near: unhealthiness, unsoundness, misery, sadness, suffering, unhappiness, wretchedness

Related Entry: Well-bred (adjective)

Well-bred is a different word from Well. The synonyms below are for well-bred, not for well.

  1. showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners

    "a well-bred young woman who is unfailingly polite to everyone"

    similar: civil, courteous, genteel, gracious, mannerly, polite
    related: attentive, careful, considerate, nice, solicitous, thoughtful, chivalrous, civilized, courtly, gallant, gentlemanlike, gentlemanly, ladylike, ceremonial, ceremonious, red-carpet, couth, formal, smooth, suave, unctuous, urbane, elegant, refined, deferential, dutiful, respectful, submissive, yielding, acceptable, appropriate, becoming, befitting, comme il faut, correct, decent, decorous, fit, fitting, good, meet, proper, respectable, right, seemly, suitable, affable, cordial, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, sociable, felicitous, graceful, demure, humble, meek, modest, unassertive
    opposite: discourteous, ill-bred, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, mannerless, rude, thoughtless, uncivil, ungenteel, ungracious, unmannered, unmannerly
    near: heedless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, audacious, bold, bold-faced, brash, brassy, disrespectful, impertinent, impudent, insolent, lippy, saucy, shameless, boorish, churlish, clodhopping, clownish, loutish, uncouth, vulgar, casual, informal, unceremonious, improper, inappropriate, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, uncalled-for, unrespectable, unseemly, arrogant, conceited, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious

Related Entry: Well-conditioned (adjective)

Well-conditioned is a different word from Well. The synonyms below are for well-conditioned, not for well.

  1. enjoying health and vigor

    "frequent trips to the gym keep her well-conditioned"

    similar: able-bodied, bouncing, fit, hale, healthy, hearty, robust, sound, well, whole, wholesome, in fine fettle, in shape, in the pink
    related: 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
    opposite: ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell
    near: decrepit, enfeebled, feeble, infirm, run-down, sickened, sickly, weak, weakened, weakly, worn-out, debilitated, differently abled, disabled, incapacitated, delicate, fragile, frail, emaciated, gaunt, haggard, malnourished, undernourished, afflicted, troubled, bad, poorly

Related Entry: Well-disposed (adjective)

Well-disposed is a different word from Well. The synonyms below are for well-disposed, not for well.

  1. having an easygoing and pleasing manner especially in social situations

    "a bachelor who has a reputation for being well-disposed, especially towards the ladies"

    similar: affable, agreeable, amiable, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mellow, nice, pleasant, sweet
    related: amicable, clever (dialect), cordial, friendly, neighborly, benign, gentle, kind, cheerful, cheery, glad (archaic), sunny, companionable, conversable, sociable, civil, considerate, courteous, polite, thoughtful, accommodating, amenable, obliging, attractive, delightful, enjoyable, likable
    opposite: disagreeable, ill-natured, ill-tempered, unamiable, ungenial, ungracious, unpleasant
    near: boorish, discourteous, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, surly, uncivil, unkind, unmannerly, unsociable, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, choleric, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, irascible, irritable, peevish, petulant, quick-tempered, snappish, testy, touchy, argumentative, contentious, contrary, ornery, querulous, unappealing, unattractive, sour, vinegary

Related Entry: Well-endowed (adjective)

Well-endowed is a different word from Well. The synonyms below are for well-endowed, not for well.

  1. having goods, property, or money in abundance

    "that independent company is not so well-endowed that it could afford to fight a protracted lawsuit"

    similar: affluent, deep-pocketed, fat, fat-cat, flush, loaded, moneyed, opulent, rich, silk-stocking, wealthy, well-fixed, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do, in the chips
    related: better-off, comfortable, propertied, prosperous, substantial, successful, flourishing, prospering, thriving, advantaged, blessed, privileged
    opposite: destitute, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, needy, penniless, penurious, poor, poverty-stricken
    near: unaffluent, deprived, disadvantaged, hand-to-mouth, underprivileged, bankrupt, bankrupted, beggared, broke, indebted, insolvent, pauperized, ruined, skint (chiefly British), depressed, pinched, reduced, straitened, low, short

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Well

The most common words with a similar meaning to Well:

Chiefly dialect: plumb
Slang: no sweat
Australian: billabong
Chiefly British: mere
British dialect: stank
acceptably, adequately, all right, alright, creditably, decently, fine, good, middlingly, nicely, OK, passably, respectably, satisfactorily, serviceably, so-so, sufficiently, tolerably, amply, bounteously, bountifully, freehandedly, freeheartedly, generously, handsomely, lavishly, liberally, munificently, openhandedly, unstintingly, ably, adeptly, adroitly, artfully, capably, competently, consummately, deftly, expertly, masterfully

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Well

Words with the opposite meaning of Well:

bad, badly, deficiently, ill, inadequately, insufficiently, intolerably, poorly, unacceptably, unsatisfactorily, parsimoniously, stingily, ungenerously, amateurishly, artlessly, incapably, incompetently, inefficiently, ineptly, inexpertly, unskillfully, discourteously, inconsiderately, thoughtlessly, disagreeably, unpleasantly, half, halfway, incompletely, part

Related Words for Well

appropriately, aptly, congruously, correctly, decorously, fittingly, happily, meetly, rightly, seemly, suitably, effectively, effectually, efficiently, neatly, tidily, hospitably, affably, amiably, cheerfully, cheerily, congenially, cordially, friendlily, genially, good-heartedly, good-naturedly, selflessly, ungrudgingly, unselfishly

Near Antonyms of Well

unbearably, inappropriately, incorrectly, indecently, unsuitably, awfully, deplorably, disastrously, dreadfully, horrendously, horribly, horridly, miserably, terribly, contemptuously, disdainfully, rudely, scornfully, obnoxiously, provocatively, coldly, coolly, frigidly, hostilely, angrily, belligerently, begrudgingly, grudgingly, inaptly, awkwardly

Word Forms of Well

Inflections: welled, welling, wells, better, best

Origin & Etymology of Well

Middle English welle, wille "spring of water, pool formed by a spring, pit sunk into the earth to reach water," going back to Old English wælle (Anglian), wiell, wielle (West Saxon, later wille, wylle), going back to a Germanic base *waln(j)- (also *walj-?) with varying stem formations (whence also Old Frisian walla "spring, source," Middle Dutch wal, walle "a seething, boiling heat, spring or river of seething water") and with e-grade ablaut Old High German wella "wave, tide," Old Icelandic vella "boiling, bubbling mass," all nominal derivatives from the base of Germanic *walla- "to well up, seethe, bubble" well:2

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Well

Words & Phrases Containing Well

well-adjusted, well-advised, well-appointed

Frequently Asked Questions about Well

What does "Well" mean?

"Well" means an issue of water from the earth, a pool fed by a spring. As an a noun, a verb, an adverb, an interjection and an adjective, it is defined as: an issue of water from the earth, a pool fed by a spring. It has 11 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Well"?

Other words for "Well" include acceptably, adequately, all right, alright, creditably, decently, fine and good. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Well" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Well"?

There are 353 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Well". Common alternatives include acceptably, adequately, all right, alright, creditably, decently, fine, good, middlingly and nicely.

What is the opposite of "Well"?

Antonyms of "Well" include bad, badly, deficiently, ill, inadequately, insufficiently, intolerably and poorly. Near antonyms include unbearably, inappropriately, incorrectly and indecently.

How do you use "Well" in a sentence?

Examples of "Well" in a sentence: "our current system for dividing household chores works well, so let's keep it"; "a warm and gracious host who always treats guests well"; "she plays the piano very well".

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

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

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

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

How do you pronounce "Well"?

"Well" is pronounced /ˈwel/.