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
-
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
-
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:
What’s especially welcome news for workers is that small businesses in the survey aren’t just planning to hire people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Emma Smale, its head of practice and policy, described the new guidance as a "welcome focus" on the issue.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
If you think this sounds like something out of the NBC comedy “The Office,” welcome to planet Earth.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
The pullback in oil futures is a welcome reprieve for the likes of JetBlue, Delta, and other major carriers.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
“I welcome the opportunity to exhibit more useful behavior,” the prince said, bowing low at the waist.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Broadcom stock was rising as Wall Street welcomes details of its work with Anthropic.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
He hosts various shows, including the nightly Maiden Voyage Launch Party, which welcomes guests at 8:08 p.m. each night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
It is why David Simonetti, new-car sales manager at a Ford dealer in France, welcomes the future vehicles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Nonetheless, they said Cook "welcomes the opportunity to present the facts so she can clear her name and demonstrate there is no legal basis to fire her."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 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
US First Lady Melania Trump called for a "more enduring" ceasefire in Ukraine as she welcomed Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the White House following last week's truce in the southern region of Kherson.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
In Chulucanas, residents welcomed him warmly and Hispanicized his name, calling him Father Roberto.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
He welcomed oldest daughter Corinne in 1994 with ex Connie Kline, then Anelise Bishop in 2008 with ex Kristin Grannis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Tehran politely welcomed a letter sent in late October by Vice President JD Vance seeking to open talks with Iran’s top national security official, Mohsen Rezaei.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
When they arrived in England, they found a church that welcomed them.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Instead they’re forecasting that spending will continue but costs will rise — and the buildout will shift to states and localities that make deals with developers or are generally more welcoming to the centers.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
Social media reactions were mixed, with some users welcoming the ruling, while others questioned its significance, describing it as ironic or a distraction from more pressing issues.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Raam chief Mansour Abbas has denied the allegations of foreign funding, saying his party had "no connection whatsoever to the affair" and welcoming an investigation.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
Others wanted to prove that Bostonians could, in fact, be welcoming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
He was stern, as an elder should be, but always welcoming.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
