well-meaning
Americanadjective
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meaning or intending well; having good intentions.
a well-meaning but tactless person.
-
Also well-meant proceeding from good intentions.
Her well-meaning words were received in silence.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of well-meaning
A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400
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.
Long have well-meaning, enlightened Westerners assumed that the liberal values regnant in their democracies would arrest any attempt to revive antisemitism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
“So if I don’t have the control, then there’s nothing really that I can do, other than try to be as truthful and passionate and well-meaning as I possibly can, you know?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
His America, as filtered through the lens of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production company, is a land of well-meaning people.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
He described the participants as "well-meaning" but "misinformed" about the potential environmental impact.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
If a castaway is injured, beware of well-meaning but ill-founded medical treatment.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
