welcome
Americaninterjection
noun
-
welcomes
plural
verb (used with object)
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welcomes,
present (3rd person singular)
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welcomed,
past participle, past
-
welcoming
present participle
-
to greet the arrival of (a person, guests, etc.) with pleasure or kindly courtesy.
-
to receive or accept with pleasure; regard as pleasant or good.
to welcome a change.
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to meet, accept, or receive (an action, challenge, person, etc.) in a specified, especially unfriendly, manner.
They welcomed him with hisses and catcalls.
adjective
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gladly received, as one whose arrival gives pleasure.
a welcome visitor.
-
agreeable, as something arriving, occurring, or experienced.
a welcome rest.
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given full right by the cordial consent of others.
She is welcome to try it.
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without obligation for the courtesy, favor, or service received (used as a conventional response to expressions of thanks): He thanked me, and I told him he was welcome.
You're quite welcome; I'm glad you like the gift.
He thanked me, and I told him he was welcome.
idioms
adjective
-
gladly and cordially received or admitted
a welcome guest
-
bringing pleasure or gratitude
a welcome gift
-
freely permitted or invited
you are welcome to call
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under no obligation (only in such phrases as you're welcome or he's welcome , as conventional responses to thanks)
noun
-
the act of greeting or receiving a person or thing; reception
the new theory had a cool welcome
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to come more often or stay longer than is acceptable or pleasing
verb
-
to greet the arrival of (visitors, guests, etc) cordially or gladly
-
to receive or accept, esp gladly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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prewelcomenoun
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welcomenessnoun
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welcomernoun
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unwelcomeadjective
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unwelcomedadjective
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unwelcomingadjective
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welcomelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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welcomesimple
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welcomessimple
-
have welcomedperfect
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has welcomedperfect
-
am welcomingprogressive
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are welcomingprogressive
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is welcomingprogressive
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have been welcomingperfect progressive
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has been welcomingperfect progressive
Past
-
welcomedsimple
-
had welcomedperfect
-
was welcomingprogressive
-
were welcomingprogressive
-
had been welcomingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of welcome
First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse velkominn, equivalent to vel well 1 + kominn come (past participle); replacing Old English wilcuma “one who is welcome,” equivalent to wil- welcome ( see will 2) + cuma “comer”
Explanation
A welcome is a greeting that usually comes when you first arrive. Although you aren't fond of Aunt Martha, you always manage to give her a warm welcome when she comes to visit. When you accept someone into your home courteously, especially upon arrival, you welcome them. When you visit your grandparents, they welcome you with open arms and a plate of homemade cookies. They might even shout, "Welcome!" when you walk in the door. Welcome also means to gladly accept. The president of the French club will welcome your fundraising idea, especially if it involves baked goods.
Vocabulary lists containing welcome
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Both Mr Kushner and Mr Witkoff are always welcome guests here, and we are glad to work with them," he said, describing them as "sincere".
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Europe for too long hasn’t wanted to risk speaking plainly about the threat, which makes Germany’s blunt comments this week all the more welcome.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
That, notes ALPA, the US pilots' association, would be a welcome development.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Although the unit is available for guests to rent, the actor is undoubtedly also welcome to reside at the pad whenever he pleases.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
It was impossible to recognize that stooped and shabby little man in the glorious figure at the door, greeting newcomers with a formal welcome followed by a relentless tour of the shop.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
But it was actually the opposite: the age-old tradition called convocation that officially welcomes new students to the university.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The BBC understands the King was unaware of the move before last weekend but he welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
The monarch "welcomes the opportunity to see more of the family in a personal capacity", but there will be no change in their status and the couple would still not be working royals, PA said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Amziah knows everyone in the county, welcomes convicts and immigrants to stay on his property, and once raised foster children, until his wife died.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
The protesters were met by a group of counterprotesters who are determined to make sure the Manor opens and welcomes as many people of color as possible.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
When Blume became CEO four years ago, he was welcomed as a peacemaker, a consensus-minded company lifer who would restore relations between bosses and workers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
But some participants welcomed the dialogue as a rare instance of open debate in a country accustomed to authoritarian rule.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Canadians have adjusted cheerfully to many decades of friendship, have welcomed booming trade partnerships and have endured Yank ignorance and condescension.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
"The half-million Israelis living peacefully … are most disgusted by a small group of thugs," said US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee who welcomed the Israeli leaders' condemnation.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The reports they come back with are encouraging: They have met lots of natives and have been welcomed into their villages, invited to eat with them and watch their dances.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
In many villages of northern Indian, an important wedding ritual involves women from bride's family singing a medley of expletives while welcoming the groom's party - a tradition that nobody finds offensive.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
But the community she’s created around listening to Owens is more welcoming and open-minded, she said.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
Barton said he believes the U.S. government should be welcoming to a variety of religions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Our parish lived and practiced American Catholicism’s long tradition of welcoming the stranger, the outcast, the refugee — following the example and words of the Gospel we read every Sunday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
“Paige is like a one-woman welcoming committee. She’s on the student council.”
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
