well-meaning

American  

[wel-mee-ning] / ˈwɛlˈmi nɪŋ /

Also well-intentioned

adjective

1. meaning or intending well; having good intentions.

   a well-meaning but tactless person.

2. Also well-meant proceeding from good intentions.

   Her well-meaning words were received in silence.

---

well-meaning British  

adjective

1. having or indicating good or benevolent intentions, usually with unfortunate results

---

Etymology

Origin of well-meaning

A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Dramatizing a real-life incident with a tense one-location framework, the movie deploys a horrifying audio recording and the well-meaning efforts of actors.

From Los Angeles Times

“One Battle” is a well-meaning white man endeavoring to say something about white America’s fear of immigrants and Black power using simple and modern signifiers.

From Salon

The turkey, meanwhile, looms — well-meaning and faintly ceremonial.

From Salon

Meanwhile, the turkey — often dry, well-meaning, faintly ceremonial — recedes into the background.

From Salon

He urges readers to weigh the consequences of not acting and suggests that well-meaning efforts to eliminate every hint of bias could stunt the deployment of tools that might improve outcomes, including for underserved populations.

From The Wall Street Journal