Synonyms

well-being

American

[wel-bee-ing] / ˈwɛlˈbi ɪŋ /

noun

a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity; welfare.

to influence the well-being of the nation and its people.

Usage

What does well-being mean? The well-being of someone or something is its welfare or overall condition or state of health. A high level of well-being means that the overall condition is healthy and positive.Well-being can also refer to a specific aspect of one’s health, and it is often preceded by words like mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and the like. Well-being is most often applied to people and communities but it can also be applied to things, especially organizations or institutions, such as a nation, economy, or educational system. It is sometimes spelled without the hyphen (well being) or as one word (wellbeing).Example: I hate to call out sick so close to my deadline, but I’m trying to prioritize my well-being instead of constantly pushing myself.

Etymology

Origin of well-being

First recorded in 1605–15

Compare meaning

How does well-being compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

wellness vs. well-being

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.

The nation’s largest bank announced the “American Dream Initiative”—a commitment to support small businesses, homeownership, access to healthcare and other economic priorities that CEO Dimon believes are crucial for the well-being of Americans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Initial impacts of the legislation "suggest it is not meeting its objectives of increasing the safety and well-being of young Australians", Meta argued in January.

From Barron's

Dell said it is committed to supporting the well-being of its workforce.

From The Wall Street Journal

We’re committed to fostering environments where learners can think critically and consider how social factors affect the health and well-being of patients and communities.

From The Wall Street Journal

The team also lays out a detailed plan for future research to better understand how diet and mental well-being are connected.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023