well-meaning
Americanadjective
-
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.
That while I’ve never been angrier with Dad, his intentions are mostly well-meaning.
From Literature
Friends and family may offer well-meaning suggestions, but their advice isn’t always accurate — and even when it is, it may not suit your financial needs.
From MarketWatch
Dramatizing a real-life incident with a tense one-location framework, the movie deploys a horrifying audio recording and the well-meaning efforts of actors.
From Los Angeles Times
“One Battle” is a well-meaning white man endeavoring to say something about white America’s fear of immigrants and Black power using simple and modern signifiers.
From Salon
The turkey, meanwhile, looms — well-meaning and faintly ceremonial.
From Salon
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.
