What does "wells" mean?
plural of well
Wells
/wɛlz/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: plural of well
- Grammar: wells is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: arise, borehole, dug well, emanate.
- Useful contrasts: cease, diminish, disperse.
- Usage evidence: His tasks range from digging wells to getting rid of garbage.
How to use "wells"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "wells" 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 "wells" 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 "wells" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "wells" 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 "wells" is acting as name, noun, verb 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 "arise" 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 "wells", 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 plural of well form-of, plural
"The town's water supply consisted of three wells, but a new one was being dug to meet demand from the new development."
Verb
- 1 third-person singular simple present indicative of well form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
"Every time she sees her little grandson, her face wells with joy."
Proper Noun
- 1 An English topographic surname from Middle English for someone living near a well or a spring.
- 2 A male given name transferred from the surname.
- 3 A small cathedral city and civil parish with a city council in Somerset, England, previously in Mendip district (OS grid ref ST5445).
- 4 A small town in Norfolk, England; in full, Wells-next-the-Sea.
- 5 A town in the Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia, Canada.
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 A locale in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Pipe Creek Township, Miami County, Indiana; named for founder James Oscar Wells.
- 7 A locale in the United States:; A census-designated place in Ottawa County, Kansas.
- 8 A locale in the United States:; A town in York County, Maine; named for the city in England.
- 9 A locale in the United States:; A city in Faribault County, Minnesota; named for J. W. Wells, father-in-law of Canadian-American Minnesota politician Clark W. Thompson.
- 10 A locale in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Lowndes County, Mississippi.
- 11 A locale in the United States:; A city in Elko County, Nevada.
- 12 A locale in the United States:; A town and census-designated place therein, in Hamilton County, New York; named for land agent Joshua Wells.
- 13 A locale in the United States:; A town in Cherokee County, Texas; named for railroad engineer Maj. E. H. Wells.
- 14 A locale in the United States:; A town and census-designated place therein, in Rutland County, Vermont.
- 15 A locale in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Marshall County, West Virginia.
- 16 A locale in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Rockland, Manitowoc County and Rantoul, Calumet County, Wisconsin.
- 17 A locale in the United States:; A town in Monroe County, Wisconsin; named for early settler James Wells.
- 18 A locale in the United States:; A number of townships, including in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania, listed under Wells Township.
Example
"His tasks range from digging wells to getting rid of garbage."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "wells"?
Common synonyms include: arise, borehole, dug well, emanate, emerge, fill.
How do you use "wells" in a sentence?
His tasks range from digging wells to getting rid of garbage.
How do you pronounce "wells"?
Pronounced /wɛlz/.
Etymology
From Old English wella, genitive plural of well (“spring”), in reference to a residence near a group of springs. The original use of the genitive case here would've indicated origin. The -s ending of the modern form would be added later on upon reanalysis after the breakdown of the case system (outside of pronouns) that occurred in the development of English.