Meanings
comparative more well-meant · superlative most well-meant
- Having good intentions, even if resulting in unfortunate consequences.
When a loved aunt has sweated herself to the bone trying to save her god-child from the clutches of a New York playboy and learns that all her well-meant efforts have gone blue on her, it's only natural for her late brother's son to shudder in sympathy.
1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XVII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLCSynonyms: well-intentioned
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveHaving good intentions, even if resulting in unfortunate consequences.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivemarked by good intentions though often producing unfortunate results
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Dutch goedbedoeld, welgemeend
- goedbedoeldhaving good intentions, even if resulting in unfortunate consequences
- welgemeendhaving good intentions, even if resulting in unfortunate consequences
Persian خوش نیت
- خوش نیتhaving good intentions, even if resulting in unfortunate consequences
Cite this entry
well-meant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/well-meant
“well-meant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/well-meant. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “well-meant,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/well-meant.
Source: well-meant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.