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well

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interjection

well

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noun

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as in pool
a small often deep body of water the spot where the spring bubbles up to the surface and forms a deep well

Synonyms & Similar Words

well

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word well distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of well are hale, healthy, robust, sound, and wholesome. While all these words mean "enjoying or indicative of good health," well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

When could hale be used to replace well?

While the synonyms hale and well are close in meaning, hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

Where would healthy be a reasonable alternative to well?

Although the words healthy and well have much in common, healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

In what contexts can robust take the place of well?

The words robust and well are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

When is it sensible to use sound instead of well?

In some situations, the words sound and well are roughly equivalent. However, sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

When would wholesome be a good substitute for well?

While in some cases nearly identical to well, wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of well
Adverb
There’s no need to whip out the label maker because the set comes with premade labels for common laundry essentials and a few blank ones as well. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 6 July 2025 But something constructive came from all the attention to the issue as well. Caren Zucker, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
Interjection
How to know if special teams players are ... well, special Via email, Rob C. asks: How can the coaching staff, specifically special teams, assess guys designated for special teams? Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025 The flipside of that strange path to a truce is that missiles are, well, fundamentally weapons. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 25 June 2025
Noun
According to the researchers, some 3.5 million people in Pennsylvania rely on private wells to supply drinking water. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025 Higher Production Levels: By optimizing drilling and production techniques and getting more out of existing wells. Jay R. Young, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Adjective
Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers and hope to see you soon. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 13 Oct. 2023 This was not the first time Burgess mentioned how well life with their blended family is going. Daniel S. Levine, Peoplemag, 18 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for well
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well
Adverb
  • The good news for investors who may have dabbled and lost in the USO over the past few weeks is that the rest of their portfolio is probably doing just fine.
    Jesse Pound, CNBC, 24 June 2025
  • But Zaslav himself is doing just fine, to the chagrin of shareholders.
    Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
Adverb
  • One member of the TV Academy’s acting branch kindly agreed to walk us through the thought process that goes into Emmy voting.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 27 June 2025
  • This warm workplace almost-sitcom has the same wit and kindly character rapport that makes Gavin & Stacey so rewatchable.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 1 June 2025
Adverb
  • Caramel and banana complement each other perfectly in this recipe submitted by Southern Living reader Mary Vail-Grube.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
  • The perfectly baked eggplant in the borani badajan vege plate was surprisingly not mushy but rather tender.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 5, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025
Interjection
  • Anthropologie: Summer dresses, blouses, and pants (oh my!) are up to 30 percent off for a limited time.
    Averi Baudler, People.com, 8 July 2025
  • Best Packing Essentials Deals Packing cubes, toiletry kits, and shoe bags—oh my!
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • The senior bonus deduction, Watson points out, applies to any source of taxable income that a taxpayer who is 65 or older has and may not necessarily eliminate all tax on Social Security benefits.
    Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
  • One anonymous source donated 40 units, but since then, White said, there have been few, if any, such offerings.
    Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • The park also includes the Pond House, a playscape and spray pad for kids, a fitness circuit, trails, an Olympic size pool and picnic areas.
    Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2025
  • To follow this year’s Esports World Cup with a $60 million prize pool on the line and season two of the series, visit the Esports World Cup website.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • Experts have said for some time that not all fats are bad—in fact, some are healthy and key to a balanced diet that can contribute to better weight management.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • Inside an office, a doctor told Ross that the top of his ligament was healthy and strong.
    Will Sammon, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Adverb
  • The reggae great died from complications of cancer in 1981, at the age of 36.
    Gillian Telling, People.com, 7 July 2025
  • The Hall of Famer and former Big Red Machine great appeared as the first-base coach at the Bananas' game at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, in April 2022.
    Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Well.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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