What does "well" mean?
A hole sunk into the ground as a source of water, oil, natural gas or other fluids.
Well
/wɛl/ adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A hole sunk into the ground as a source of water, oil, natural gas or other fluids.
- Grammar: well is listed as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: ably, abysm, abyss, acceptably.
- Useful contrasts: ailing, bad, crappy.
- Usage evidence: My mom doesn't speak English very well.
How to use "well"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "well" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "well" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "well" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "well" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "well" is acting as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ably" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "well", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A hole sunk into the ground as a source of water, oil, natural gas or other fluids.
"The woman said unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep."
- 2 a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine wordnet
- 3 A place where a liquid such as water surfaces naturally; a spring.
"Begin, then, sisters of the sacred well."
- 4 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 wordnet
- 5 A small depression suitable for holding liquid or other objects.
"Make a well in the dough mixture and pour in the milk."
Show 16 more definitions
- 6 an open shaft through the floors of a building (as for a stairway) wordnet
- 7 A source of supply. figuratively
"Dan Chaucer, well of English undefyled"
- 8 a cavity or vessel used to contain liquid wordnet
- 9 A vertical, cylindrical trunk in a ship, reaching down to the lowest part of the hull, through which the bilge pumps operate.
- 10 an abundant source wordnet
- 11 The cockpit of a sailboat.
- 12 A compartment in the middle of the hold of a fishing vessel, made tight at the sides, but having holes perforated in the bottom to let in water to keep fish alive while they are transported to market.
- 13 A vertical passage in the stern into which an auxiliary screw propeller may be drawn up out of the water.
- 14 A hole or excavation in the earth, in mining, from which run branches or galleries.
- 15 An opening through the floors of a building, as for a staircase or an elevator; a wellhole.
- 16 The open space between the bench and the counsel tables in a courtroom.
- 17 The lower part of a furnace, into which the metal falls.
- 18 A well drink.
"They're having a special tonight: $1 wells."
- 19 The playfield of Tetris and similar video games, into which the blocks fall.
"Tetris, the most widely played computer game of all time, is a problem-solving puzzle game. […] The player attempts to lock the falling shape smoothly together with the shapes in the well."
- 20 In a microtiter plate, each of the small equal circular or square sections which serve as test tubes.
- 21 The region of an interface that contains tabs.
"You can reposition the order of documents in the window by clicking and dragging the tabs, or you can drag a tab out of the well and view a document in its own floating window."
Verb
- 1 To issue forth, as water from the earth; to flow; to spring. intransitive
"[Blood] welled from out the wound."
- 2 come up, as of a liquid wordnet
- 3 To have something seep out of the surface. intransitive
"Her eyes welled with tears."
Adjective
- 1 In good health.
"I've been sick, but now I'm well."
- 2 Good, content.
"“How are you?” — “I'm well, thank you!”"
- 3 Prudent; good; well-advised. uncommon
"In this respect it would be well for you to depart from the standard format and to indicate why you did what you did."
- 4 Good to eat; tasty, delicious. archaic
"This wahoo tastes val."
Adjective
- 1 wise or advantageous and hence advisable wordnet
- 2 resulting favorably wordnet
- 3 in good health especially after having suffered illness or injury wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Accurately, competently, satisfactorily.
"He does his job well."
- 2 Completely, fully.
"Well done steaks"
- 3 To a significant degree.
"That author is well known."
- 4 Very (as a general-purpose intensifier). Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, slang
"That guy rocks! I think he's called Matthew Lillard or sommat but he is well cool in Scream."
- 5 In a desirable manner; so as one could wish; satisfactorily; favourably; advantageously.
"I'm glad Joe got fired last week. I think we're well rid of him."
Adverb
- 1 (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’) wordnet
- 2 without unusual distress or resentment; with good humor wordnet
- 3 indicating high probability; in all likelihood wordnet
- 4 thoroughly or completely; fully; often used as a combining form wordnet
- 5 favorably; with approval wordnet
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 to a suitable or appropriate extent or degree wordnet
- 7 in financial comfort wordnet
- 8 in a manner affording benefit or advantage wordnet
- 9 to a great extent or degree wordnet
- 10 with skill or in a pleasing manner wordnet
- 11 with prudence or propriety wordnet
- 12 with great or especially intimate knowledge wordnet
- 13 (used for emphasis or as an intensifier) entirely or fully wordnet
Intj
- 1 Used as a discourse marker.
"“So, what have you been doing?” “Well, we went for a picnic; and then it started raining, so we came home early.”"
- 2 Used as a discourse marker.; Used as a hedge.
"“The car is broken.” “Well, we could walk to the movies instead.”"
- 3 Used as a discourse marker.; Expressing reluctance to say something.
"“Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity."
- 4 An exclamation of sarcastic surprise (often doubled or tripled and in a lowering intonation).
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
- 5 An exclamation of indignance.
"Well! There was no need to say that in front of my mother!"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Used as a greeting, short for "Are you well?" Ireland
"Well, lads? How's things?"
- 7 Used as a question to demand an answer from someone.
"And what do you think you're doing? ... Well?"
Proper Noun
- 1 A small village in Long Sutton parish, Hart district, Hampshire, England (OS grid ref SU7646).
- 2 A small village and civil parish in East Lindsey district, Lincolnshire, England (OS grid ref TF4473).
- 3 A village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, previously in Hambleton district (OS grid ref SE2681).
- 4 A village in Maasdriel municipality, Gelderland province, Netherlands.
- 5 A village in Bergen municipality, Limburg province, Netherlands.
Example
"My mom doesn't speak English very well."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "well"?
Common synonyms include: ably, abysm, abyss, acceptably, adeptly, adequately.
How do you use "well" in a sentence?
My mom doesn't speak English very well.
How do you pronounce "well"?
Pronounced /wɛl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel (“well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, *wala (“well”, literally “as wished, as desired”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“wish, desire”). Cognates Cognate with Yola vella, waal, wel, well, wull (“well”), Cimbrian boll, bóol (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German wohl, wol, woll (“well”), Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk vel (“well”), Faroese væl (“well”), Swedish väl, waͤl (“well”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila, “well”). Related to will.
Etymology 2
From Middle English welle, from Old English wielle (“well”), from Proto-West Germanic *wallijā, from Proto-Germanic *wallijǭ (“well, swirl, wave”), from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn; wind; roll”). Cognate with West Frisian wel (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German Low German Well (“well”), German Welle (“wave”), Danish væld (“well; spring”), Swedish väl (“well”), Icelandic vella (“boiling; bubbling; eruption”).
Etymology 3
From Middle English wellen, from a merger of Old English weallan (intransitive) and wiellan (transitive), both meaning “to boil.” Further from Proto-Germanic *wallaną and *wallijaną. Doublet of wall. Cognate with German wallen (“boil, seethe”), Danish vælde (“gush”), Norwegian Nynorsk vella and outside Germanic, with Albanian valë (“hot, boiling”).
Etymology 4
Most, if not all, of the placenames are derived from the noun well.