well-meaning

Also well-in·ten·tioned

[wel-mee-ning]

adjective

1. meaning or intending well; having good intentions.

   a well-meaning but tactless person.

2. Also well-meant proceeding from good intentions.

   Her well-meaning words were received in silence.

well-meaning

adjective

1. having or indicating good or benevolent intentions, usually with unfortunate results

Word History and Origins

Origin of well-meaning¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Even well-meaning efforts by professionals—such as the “diet and exercise” counsel typically offered by doctors—rarely produced durable weight loss.

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An official in Onagawa told AFP on Thursday that the town had received the bear picture from a well-meaning company president on Wednesday morning.

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Jaffa’s ideas on the Founding principles, she thinks, allowed him to condemn well-meaning liberal critics of his ideas—a trend that persists among his New Right successors.

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On Friday, surrounded by New Yorkers, including several women wearing hijabs, Mamdani described being advised by a “well-meaning Muslim uncle” to downplay his religion in public.

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While there are safeguards, anyone from a well-meaning loved one to a malicious scam artist can create fake versions of you that would have been inconceivable a few years ago.

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