well-intentioned

[ wel-in-ten-shuhnd ]

See synonyms for well-intentioned on Thesaurus.com

adjective

well-meaning.

Origin of well-intentioned

First recorded in 1590–1600

Words Nearby well-intentioned

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use well-intentioned in a sentence

What you see is a massive, well-intentioned, legal junk pile.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans | Philip K. Howard | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The general rap on him is: reasonably well-intentioned but weak.
After the Israel Synagogue Massacre: A New Intifada? | Michael Tomasky | November 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
This was not a musical performance, per se, but you bet your ass this was a “performance”—albeit a well-intentioned and noble one.
Butts, ‘Bang Bang’ & Beyoncé: The Craziest MTV Video Music Awards Moments | Kevin Fallon | August 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
And as with all cheerful, well-intentioned memes, the Challenge has provoked some good old-fashioned political trolling.
Ice Bucket Challenge Leads to Political Trolling | Asawin Suebsaeng | August 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Unfortunately, this can result in sending a well-intentioned but perilous message.
'Genie, You're Free': Suicide Is Not Liberation | Russell Saunders | August 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

You observe, that the heads of some well intentioned, though visionary Americans, run much upon a truce.
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. IV (of 12) | Various
Pishtchalkin, the well-intentioned peaceable mediator, came in and sat with him for three hours.
Smoke | Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
Only the kind and well-intentioned could ask innocent questions which hurt like the thrust of a needle under a finger-nail.
Lady Lilith | Stephen McKenna
The blow, well aimed and well intentioned, sent the little fellow summersetting like a sugar hogshead.
Charles O'Malley, The Irish Dragoon, Volume 2 (of 2) | Charles Lever
We're only well-intentioned fools who go around putting plasters over the sores.
The Precipice | Elia Wilkinson Peattie

British Dictionary definitions for well-intentioned

well-intentioned

adjective(well intentioned when postpositive)

having or indicating benevolent intentions, usually with unfortunate results

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse