well-being
Americannoun
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:
Explanation
Well-being is a state of health, happiness, and contentment. Everyone wants to enjoy well-being. When things are going well in a person's life, she feels a sense of well-being. Being healthy, happy, and having friends are all signs of well-being, while if you lose your job or become seriously ill, others will be concerned about your well-being. People in dangerous jobs like soldiers or police officers often find their well-being in jeopardy. The word well-being is also a philosophical term, especially important in various kinds of moral philosophy.
Vocabulary lists containing well-being
"Earth and Space"
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Psychology
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for April 17–April 23, 2021
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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.
A 2025 research note by Hu and colleagues described travel therapy as an emerging approach in which positive travel experiences may promote well being, while also emphasizing the need to weigh benefits against risks.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
Instagram owner Meta Platforms and Google-owned YouTube face a civil trial in California that is digging into how social-media platforms balance their competitive incentives to maximize engagement against the well being of their users.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
It acknowledged the diocese had "failed profoundly in its pastoral care and responsibility of care and concern for your well being during the years from 1994 to 2018".
From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026
The move comes as Meta and other social media platforms face pressure to show they aren't putting profit and engagement over the well being of users, especially children.
From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025
“And it’s all very well being fearless and that, but a little bit of anxiety about insulting everyone you speak to might make you look like less of a thug.”
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.
