Well - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT well /wɛl/ /wɛl/ IPA guide

Other forms: weller; welled; welling

When you do something well, you do it in a good or satisfactory way. You can say, "I did really well on my French test," or "Finally, I slept well last night."

When well is a noun, it means "a deep hole full of water or oil." When well is an adverb, it describes the way something's done. If you're not sure when to use well and when to use good, think about what you're describing. If it's a thing, then you can call it good, like a "good book." If you're talking about an action, you should use well: "I always do well on math quizzes," or "You speak Chinese really well."

Definitions of well

adverb (often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good' is a nonstandard dialectal variant for `well') “the children behaved well” “a task well done” “the party went well” “he slept well” “a well-argued thesis” “a well-seasoned dish” “a well-planned party” synonyms: good see moresee less antonyms: ill (`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
adverb favorably; with approval “their neighbors spoke well of them” “he thought well of the book” see moresee less antonyms: ill unfavorably or with disapproval
adverb with skill or in a pleasing manner “she dances well” “he writes well” see moresee less antonyms: badly without skill or in a displeasing manner
adverb in a manner affording benefit or advantage “she married well” synonyms: advantageously see moresee less antonyms: badly in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage
adverb in financial comfort “They live well” synonyms: comfortably
adverb with prudence or propriety “You would do well to say nothing more” “could not well refuse”
adverb without unusual distress or resentment; with good humor “took the joke well” “took the tragic news well” see moresee less antonyms: badly with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display
adverb to a great extent or degree “I'm afraid the film was well over budget” synonyms: considerably, substantially
adverb with great or especially intimate knowledge “we knew them well” synonyms: intimately
adverb (used for emphasis or as an intensifier) entirely or fully “a book well worth reading” “was well aware of the difficulties ahead” “suspected only too well what might be going on”
adverb thoroughly or completely; fully; often used as a combining form “The problem is well understood” “she was well informed” “shake well before using” “in order to avoid food poisoning be sure the meat is well cooked” “"well-done beef", "well-satisfied customers” “well-educated”
adverb to a suitable or appropriate extent or degree “the project was well underway” “his father was well pleased with his grades”
adjective resulting favorably “it is well that no one saw you” “all's well that ends well” synonyms: good fortunate having unexpected good fortune
adjective in good health especially after having suffered illness or injury “appears to be entirely well” “the wound is nearly well” “a well man” “I think I'm well” “at least I feel well” synonyms: fit physically and mentally sound or healthy healthy having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease asymptomatic, symptomless having no symptoms of illness or disease cured, healed, recovered freed from illness or injury see moresee less antonyms: ill affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function unfit not in good physical or mental condition; out of condition unhealthy not in or exhibiting good health in body or mind afflicted, stricken grievously affected especially by disease aguish affected by ague ailing, indisposed, peaked, poorly, seedy, sickly, under the weather, unwell somewhat ill or prone to illness air sick, airsick, carsick, seasick experiencing motion sickness autistic characteristic of or affected with autism bedfast, bedrid, bedridden, sick-abed confined to bed (by illness) bilious, liverish, livery suffering from or suggesting a liver disorder or gastric distress bronchitic suffering from or prone to bronchitis consumptive afflicted with or associated with pulmonary tuberculosis convalescent, recovering returning to health after illness or debility delirious, hallucinating experiencing delirium diabetic suffering from diabetes dizzy, giddy, vertiginous, woozy having or causing a whirling sensation; liable to falling dyspeptic suffering from dyspepsia faint, light, light-headed, lightheaded, swooning weak and likely to lose consciousness feverish, feverous having or affected by a fever funny experiencing odd bodily sensations gouty suffering from gout green looking pale and unhealthy laid low, stricken put out of action (by illness) laid up ill and usually confined milk-sick affected with or related to milk sickness nauseated, nauseous, queasy, sick, sickish feeling nausea; feeling about to vomit palsied affected with palsy or uncontrollable tremor paralytic, paralyzed affected with paralysis paraplegic suffering complete paralysis of the lower half of the body usually resulting from damage to the spinal cord rachitic, rickety affected with, suffering from, or characteristic of rickets scrofulous afflicted with scrofula sneezy inclined to sneeze spastic suffering from spastic paralysis tubercular, tuberculous constituting or afflicted with or caused by tuberculosis or the tubercle bacillus unhealed not healed upset mildly physically distressed show more antonyms...
adjective wise or advantageous and hence advisable “it would be well to start early” synonyms: advisable worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise
adverb indicating high probability; in all likelihood “I might well do it” “you may well need your umbrella” “he could equally well be trying to deceive us” synonyms: easily
noun a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine see moresee less types: show 9 types... hide 9 types... artesian well a well drilled through impermeable strata into strata that receive water from a higher altitude so there is pressure to force the water to flow upward driven well, tube well a well made by driving a tube into the earth to a stratum that bears water gas well a well that yields or has yielded natural gas oil well, oiler a well that yields or has yielded oil sump a well or other hole in which water has collected gusher an oil well with a strong natural flow so that pumping is not necessary spouter an oil well that is spouting stripper, stripper well an oil well whose production has declined to less than ten barrels a day wildcat, wildcat well an exploratory oil well drilled in land not known to be an oil field type of: excavation a hole in the ground made by excavating
noun an open shaft through the floors of a building (as for a stairway) see moresee less types: stairwell a vertical well around which there is a stairway type of: shaft a vertical passageway through a building (as for an elevator)
noun a cavity or vessel used to contain liquid see moresee less types: inkstand, inkwell a small well holding writing ink into which a pen can be dipped type of: vessel an object used as a container (especially for liquids)
noun an enclosed compartment in a ship or plane for holding something as e.g. fish or a plane's landing gear or for protecting something as e.g. a ship's pumps see moresee less types: bilge well (nautical) a well where seepage drains to be pumped away pump well an enclosure in the middle of a ship's hold that protects the ship's pumps type of: compartment a partitioned section, chamber, or separate room within a larger enclosed area
noun an abundant source “she was a well of information” synonyms: fountainhead, wellspring see moresee less type of: source a document (or organization) from which information is obtained
verb come up, as of a liquid “Tears well in her eyes” “the currents well up” synonyms: swell see moresee less type of: come up, rise, rise up, surface come to the surface

Pronunciation US /wɛl/ UK /wɛl/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘well'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family

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