welladverb
uk/wel/us/wel/better, bestwell adverb (IN A GOOD WAY)
A1 in a good way, to a high or satisfactory standard:
The documentary presented both sides of the problem very well.
The concert was advertised well enough but ticket sales were poor.
a well-cut suit
a well-paid job
Her points were well put (= expressed in a good or intelligent way).
His point about the need to reduce waste was well taken (= it was accepted as a good criticism).
They took two hours to discuss the plans and considered it time well spent (= it had been a useful discussion).
I can't do it as well as Marie can.
More examples
- I think she coped very well under the circumstances.
- Your painting has come out really well.
- The tyres on my car don't cope very well on wet roads.
- We're getting on quite well with the decorating.
- My golf was terrible today - I just didn't strike the ball well.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Good, better and best
- at the best of times idiom
- be the last word in sth idiom
- best
- better
- better off
- break
- go-to
- gold standard
- good
- heteronormative
- last word
- mile
- miles idiom
- so much the better idiom
- topper
- unsurpassed
- up
- uplift
well adverb (TO A GREAT DEGREE)
A2 very much, to a great degree, or completely:
Knead the dough well, then divide it into four pieces.
He could well imagine how much his promise was going to cost him.
I can't catch the bus - there are no buses after midnight, as you well know.
He plays the piano well enough (= to a satisfactory standard).
C1 used to emphasize some prepositions:
The results are well above/below what we expected.
Keep well away from the edge of the cliff.
It cost well over £100.
Stand well clear of the doors!
B2 used to emphasize some adjectives:
The police are well aware of the situation.
The museum is well worth a visit.
Some machines look more like cheap, plastic toys - leave these well alone.
UK slang very:
The film was well good.
Watch out for those two - they're well hard (= strong and willing to use violence).
More examples
- She's well aware of her strengths and weaknesses as an artist.
- The scheme was well thought out.
- The instructions on the fireworks said "Light the blue touchpaper, and stand well clear."
- Tickets are selling well for the group's upcoming concert tour.
- She managed to complete her last film well within budget.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: very & extreme
- abject
- awful
- badly
- beyond
- classic
- classical
- devastating
- drop dead! idiom
- eminently
- esp
- especially
- heartily
- impossibly
- rather
- sheer
- specially
- supremely
- thoroughly
- whole
- wide
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well adverb (REASONABLY)
B2 with good reason:
She might well be the best person to ask.
I can't very well (= it would not be acceptable to) refuse their generous offer.
More examples
- This might well be our last chance to see each other before Christmas.
- You might well wonder what happened to all the food we prepared.
- It's just as well you brought an umbrella. It's going to rain.
- You can't very well take it back to the shop now that you've worn it.
- You'd be as well to confirm the bookings before you arrive.
well adverb (IN ADDITION)
as well (as)
More examples
- He went down in my estimation when he started trying to be a singer as well as an actor.
- The museum has many works by Picasso as well as other modern painters.
- He rang James, who was a good friend as well as the family doctor.
- As well as writing the script, he directed the film.
- It's not all my fault, Simon was there as well.
A1 in addition (to):
Invite Emily - and Scott as well.
I want to visit Andrew as well as Martin.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Also, extra, and in addition
- added
- additional
- again
- along
- also
- case
- excess
- for good measure idiom
- for luck idiom
- furthermore
- hand
- have sth in hand idiom
- say
- second 1
- side
- the icing on the cake idiom
- thirdly
- to boot idiom
- to cap it all idiom
- to say nothing of ... idiom
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Idiom(s)
all is well
all very well
be all very well
be just as well
may/might as well
well and truly
well away
well done
well in (with)
well out of sth
welladjective [ usually after verb ]
uk/wel/us/wel/better, bestA1 healthy; not ill:
He hasn't been very well lately.
When she came home from school she really didn't look well.
I'm sorry you're ill - I hope you get well soon.
They sent a get well card.
More examples
- He didn't feel very well after getting off the bike.
- I'm very well thank you.
- She wasn't feeling well, so I don't think she gave of her best tonight.
- She wasn't feeling well, so she went home early.
- I'm not well. I'd better not go out.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Animal physiology: fit & healthy
- agile
- amazon
- an apple a day keeps the doctor away idiom
- apple
- athleticism
- be (as) fit as a fiddle idiom
- be (as) right as rain idiom
- beach-ready
- bouncing
- clean
- fighting fit
- foot
- healthy
- iron man
- limber
- lithe
- muscle-bound
- strength
- sturdy
- virility
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wellexclamation
uk/wel/us/wel/A1 used to introduce something you are going to say, often to show surprise, doubt, slight disagreement, or anger, or to continue a story:
Well, what shall we do now?
Well now/then, how are we going to arrange things?
"Who was that?" "Well, I can't remember her name."
"He's decided to give up his job and move to Seattle with her." "Well, well - that's what love does for you."
Well, really, that was thoughtless of him!
Well? What did you do next?
Well, after that we went camping in the mountains.
Well/Oh well, it doesn't matter - I can always buy another one.
Very well, if you insist I'll meet him next week.
More examples
- Well now, what are we doing about that?
- Oh well, never mind.
- Well, well. Who'd have thought things would turn out like this.
- Well? How did your exam go?
- Well really! How rude!
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: connecting words joining words or phrases with similar or related meanings
- and/or 2
- anyways
- concatenate
- conjunctive
- connective
- consequently
- ergo
- hereby
- I mean idiom
- mean
- moreover
- never
- now
- so
- sure enough idiom
- the thing is idiom
- there
- thing
- what
- with that idiom
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wellnoun [ C ]
uk/wel/us/wel/a deep hole in the ground from which you can get water, oil, or gas
See also
stairwell
Examples
- By this time all the wells had run dry.
- Sinking more wells is the best way of supplying the population with clean drinking water.
- Flames spouted out from the oil wells.
- The well ran dry.
- The cottage has a well in the front garden.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Parts of watercourses
- artesian well
- basin
- confluence
- delta
- drainage basin
- estuary
- firth
- geyser
- lock
- lock-keeper
- meander
- midstream
- mooring
- mouth
- reach
- spring
- towpath
- tributary
- water table
- weir
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wellverb [ I usually + adv/prep ]
uk/wel/us/wel/(of liquid) to appear on the surface of something or come slowly out from somewhere:
Dirty water welled (up) out of the damaged pipe.
As she read the letter tears welled up in her eyes.
figurative Conflicting emotions welled up in his heart.