welcome
Americaninterjection
noun
-
welcomes
plural
verb (used with object)
-
welcomes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
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.
-
to meet, accept, or receive (an action, challenge, person, etc.) in a specified, especially unfriendly, manner.
They welcomed him with hisses and catcalls.
adjective
-
gladly received, as one whose arrival gives pleasure.
a welcome visitor.
-
agreeable, as something arriving, occurring, or experienced.
a welcome rest.
-
given full right by the cordial consent of others.
She is welcome to try it.
-
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
-
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
-
welcomessimple
-
have welcomedperfect
-
has welcomedperfect
-
am welcomingprogressive
-
are welcomingprogressive
-
is welcomingprogressive
-
have been welcomingperfect progressive
-
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:
“We have successfully implemented California’s coastal management program for almost 50 years, and we are happy to talk about any portion of that with the federal government and welcome any scrutiny to that record.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Other countries are welcome to join the agreement, the official said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
All major U.S. stock indexes are set to gain at the opening bell, while a clutch of European indexes hit new highs as investors welcome better-than-expected earnings reports and lower oil prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Muluh, who has won multiple accolades in the sport, went on to say she did not feel welcome at the event in Lithuania.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
“Sorry, everything’s put up for the night. I’ve got the last pinch of a scone in my room. It’s rock hard, but you’re welcome to it.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
"President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warmly welcomes the successful rescue of 308 Nigerian citizens who were abducted in different attacks in Niger and Kwara states," presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Santa Monica welcomes the future of transportation, and autonomous vehicles and the infrastructure that supports them have an important place here,” Mayor Torosis said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Instead, the movie welcomes audiences of all kinds by playing up LA’s inherent absurdity.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
"Fiji and Australia this week announced a commitment to become military allies, and New Zealand welcomes this," Luxon said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
A little over five minutes later, a brick sign surrounded by colorful shrubs welcomes us to Brook Falls.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
Last year, he welcomed Toutou to the presidential palace as part of a ceremony honouring families of the "martyrs".
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Scott welcomed home his daughter nine months after mine was born, so we were new stay-at-home parents together.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The latest projection about the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was given by Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald as she welcomed hospitality representatives and tour operators to the city.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Nice said it welcomed the findings and recognised the potential of such multifactorial risk assessment tools but said the current evidence did not warrant a change to its breast cancer guidelines.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
After he welcomed everyone and thanked a long list of sponsors and volunteers, he announced the first team.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
“We reached out to Loudoun County in Virginia, whose budget was in the red before they started welcoming more data centers. Now they’re operating in the black.”
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
"It's so welcoming to be here, all of the locals coming out to watch," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
But the way up remains far more welcoming for finance and operating chiefs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
That meant improving service speeds, making stores more welcoming, and punching up the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
It did not make him look more welcoming.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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.
