Expressions Using WELL

Expressions Using WELL

Hi dear English learners! Are you hungry for English vocabulary? In today’s blog post, we’ll be learning collocations, expressions, idioms and phrasal verbs using WELL. Well is an adverb meaning ‘in a good way’ and here are 31 expressions using well.

Well before/after/above/below/back/

You can use well to say that something is on a greater level or degree.

• They reached their destination well before noon.
• Brian was awake well after the witching hour.
• The level of water in the lake was well above the average.
• Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the unemployment rate is well below normal.
• They were standing well back from the place where the accident happened.

Do/sleep/play well

• I’m sure these flowers will do well in this climate.
• Sleep well! Have nice dreams!
• That football player always plays well in the second half of the game.

Well said/done/played

Use these phrases to express approval. They are always in passive form.

• It is very well said by doctors that it is better to prevent illness rather than treat it.
• The presentation attached to the entry form was very well done.
• The scene in the film was very well played.

Well-off

Well-off people have a lot of money or a good living standard.

• A well-off citizen will rather use his car to go to work than walk.

Well-read

If somebody is well-read, it means that they read a lot of books and are knowledgeable.

• Jane was an intelligent, well-read woman.

Well met

This is an old way of saying ‘welcome’.

• The guests were well met, but now they had to go back home.

Well up in

If you are well up in, then you have knowledge about something.

• Simon seems to be well up in Spanish literature.

Mean well

People who mean well do what they think might help even though it may be harmful.

• I’m sure that you mean well, but you don’t know what you’re doing.

All’s well that ends well

This is a great English saying by Shakespeare, meaning that if something ends well, it doesn’t matter if it caused problems beforehand.

• Finally, we solved a big problem and whatever the cost was, I say that all’s well that ends well.

Alive and well

If someone is alive and well, then they are full of energy.

• Although 75, my grandfather is alive and well.

Be well aware of something

If you are well aware of something, then you have knowledge about a certain matter.

• Martha was well aware of the dangers involved, but she still wanted to go bungee jumping.

Bode well/ill

If something bodes well, it is a good sign regarding the future; if it bodes ill, then it is a bad sign.

• Ten episodes have been recorded so far, and the ratings bode well for a second season.
• The high illiteracy rate and the low level of education generally bode ill for the future.

Do well by doing good

The meaning of this idiomatic expression is to achieve financial success as a result of behaving charitably.

• Generally speaking, people do well by doing good, or at least by avoiding doing bad.

Get well soon

Use this phrase to wish someone who’s ill to get better as soon as possible.

• Stay healthy or get well soon in case you have caught a cold or flu in these weather conditions.

To hope all goes well

Use this expression to wish someone good luck.

• I hope it all goes well for you at your new job.

If you want something done well, do it yourself

This saying is against delegating tasks to others because they will do them wrong.

• This report is a total mess! I’ll know for the next time that if you want something done well, do it yourself.

Be well away

If you are well away then you’re making progress.

• If we get permission to build in this area, we’ll be well away.

Be well rid of

If you are well rid of someone, then you didn’t like that person and you think you’ll be better without them.

• When this is all over, we will be well rid of one more dictator.

As well

We use it at the end of a sentence as also or too.

• The website provides lots of information on diving equipment and some videos as well.

As well as

in addition, also.

• The school ran a breakfast club as well as an after-school club.

Be well-heeled

If a person is well-heeled, then they are rich.

• Most children in private schools come from well-heeled families. 

Speak well of somebody

If you speak well of somebody, you tell good things about them.

• My parents have always spoken well of my friends.

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