- a variation of well-meaning.
well-intentioned
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of well-intentioned
First recorded in 1590–1600
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.
The world’s leading AI labs are grappling with how to prevent or mitigate damage by malevolent users without hampering well-intentioned research queries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
To backpedal for a moment: While even the most well-intentioned president can’t fix everything that comes across his desk, this one apparently spotted a problem beneath his that he could do something about.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
Justin said that the government's protection policy was well-intentioned -- but that the modern world was not allowing the Sentinelese to be left on their own.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
“The AI Doc” is a well-intentioned but aggravating soup of information and opinion that wants to move at the speed of machine thought.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
Much of Showboat’s attitude to poverty and racial stereotypes seems to us somewhat patronising, but this was the 1920s and at its core is a well-intentioned heart.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
