How to Use well-meaning in a Sentence

well-meaning

adjective
Definition of well-meaningnext
Synonyms for well-meaningnext
  • To play it safe, Lennon flushed it down the toilet — much to the disappointment of the well-meaning Smith.
    — Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024
  • As to those well-meaning folks who offer you these pep talks, be polite.
    — Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 4 June 2023
  • Many well-meaning gardeners and nature lovers feed whole or carved pumpkins to deer at the end of fall.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024
  • Some are clear mess-ups, the short-fuse snaps or hurtful comments that even well-meaning parents make.
    — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 17 July 2023
  • Sometimes well-meaning adults try to keep the padding in place anyway, only to make things harder for the child.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023
  • The West Wing represents the most earnest end of the spectrum, showing us well-meaning adults running the country.
    — Whizy Kim, Vox, 23 July 2024
  • When users don’t trust a platform, even well-meaning attempts to make things better can make things worse.
    — Scott Duke Kominers, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2024
  • To someone who fell forward, burned on their front, and was then rolled over by a well-meaning bystander, burning the back of their body too.
    — Lane Sainty, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
  • Without the right tools, even well-meaning philanthropists can slow down their progress and impact.
    — Kris Putnam-Walkerly, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
  • The incident is just par for the course for Gomez, Hollywood’s busiest—if most well-meaning—gossip girl.
    — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 11 Jan. 2024
  • In 2016, the well-meaning liberals who would later display in-this-house signs on their lawns were in the market for a certain kind of book.
    — Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 23 July 2024
  • His actions during that flight were a well-meaning attempt simply to wake himself up from the dream.
    — Jolie Lash, ABC News, 16 Nov. 2023
  • For some, the hollow, well-meaning sympathy proves too harsh to stomach.
    — Joseph Lezza, Longreads, 30 Mar. 2023
  • But along with the excitement also comes the advice of well-meaning abuelos, tías, cousins, and friends on how to raise our children.
    — Lola Sanchez, Parents, 29 May 2024
  • But even well-meaning physicians are not immune to the dynamic.
    — Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Dec. 2023
  • The dragonflies and ants captivated me more than the text or my well-meaning teacher.
    — Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Ultimately, the actor is remembered by many of the show’s cast and crew as a gifted, well-meaning artist.
    — Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2024
  • Its other big boon is sweet, innocent, well-meaning Hank.
    — Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Sep. 2024
  • Hur concluded a jury would find Biden a well-meaning old man who was forgetful.
    — Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024
  • Perhaps most upsetting, though, was the pose taken by a professor — a well-meaning white man who pantomimed a big, warm bear hug.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
  • Avoid any area that resembles a runway for children, dogs, even well-meaning neighbors.
    — Cindy Bruecks, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Dec. 2023
  • Victims of Tropical Storm Hilary and well-meaning people looking to help them should be on the lookout for these common scams.
    — Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023
  • Other well-meaning passengers will sometimes offer their seat to me so that my son and I can sit together.
    — Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 13 May 2024
  • The tales are often boring, marked by a well-meaning blandness — by an avoidance of uncomfortable truths.
    — Kabir Chibber, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
  • These are well-meaning lessons, if by now wearyingly familiar ones.
    — Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024
  • At some point, you’ve probably been nagged by your doctor, an overly concerned parent, or a well-meaning health site (hello!) to wear SPF.
    — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 21 June 2023
  • When the Hur report came out, that was directly critical of Biden and referred to him as a well-meaning old man with memory issues.
    — Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 8 July 2024
  • If hit with a layoff or slew of medical bills, even a well-meaning caretaker may be tempted to divert funds towards their own needs.
    — Alexandra Peers, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
  • That quality can also be seen in the story of Ken, who is distinctively a himbo—a sweet, well-meaning man who might not always be the brightest.
    — Time, 6 July 2023
  • As the well-meaning mother of a teenage son discovering himself in the social media stone age, Chen really shines.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 28 June 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'well-meaning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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