well-being

American

[wel-bee-ing] / ˈwɛlˈbi ɪŋ /

noun

a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity; welfare.

to influence the well-being of the nation and its people.

Usage

What does well-being mean? The well-being of someone or something is its welfare or overall condition or state of health. A high level of well-being means that the overall condition is healthy and positive.Well-being can also refer to a specific aspect of one’s health, and it is often preceded by words like mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and the like. Well-being is most often applied to people and communities but it can also be applied to things, especially organizations or institutions, such as a nation, economy, or educational system. It is sometimes spelled without the hyphen (well being) or as one word (wellbeing).Example: I hate to call out sick so close to my deadline, but I’m trying to prioritize my well-being instead of constantly pushing myself.

Etymology

Origin of well-being

First recorded in 1605–15

Compare meaning

How does well-being compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

wellness vs. well-being

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.

“Our focus is on the safety and well-being of our employees in the region,” the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The two companies are also planning to delve into topics like health, well-being and job satisfaction, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

For retirees, the stakes are high for one’s health and financial well-being.

From Barron's

Inspectors said hospital management "did not always support staff well-being" and "were not always visible within the service and were sometimes perceived as unsupportive".

From BBC

Power and policy are not abstractions — they impact real people’s bodies, minds and lives, and they affect the well-being of the larger community.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023