Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Kindly or honestly intended.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Rightly intended; friendly; sincere; not feigned.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Having good intentions, even if resulting in unfortunate consequences.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective marked by good intentions though often producing unfortunate results

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • So why is it that recommendations, even well-meant and accurate ones, sometimes have the opposite effect on me?

    2009 July « 2009

  • The reason is that for most libertarians the end (whether poor people get services or not, or whether rich people get richer or not) doesn't justify the means (like for instance obligatory income transfers), even if that end is well-meant.

    Is there a market for the Libertarian Party Norfolk Blogger 2009

  • It should be emphasized that much of this new attention and assistance, especially from small nations, some organizations and even leaders as Nancy Pelosi and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was genuine, well-meant and unquestionably welcome.

    Jamyang Norbu: Seeking the Power of the Powerless Jamyang Norbu 2011

  • So why is it that recommendations, even well-meant and accurate ones, sometimes have the opposite effect on me?

    Stubbornness and recommendations « 2009

  • But the warning from MPs last year that a well-meant project to support Muslim social institutions had become tainted by negative association with counter-terrorism illustrates the difficulties of intervention in this area.

    Counter-terrorism: Prevention and cure | Editorial 2011

  • It should be emphasized that much of this new attention and assistance, especially from small nations, some organizations and even leaders as Nancy Pelosi and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was genuine, well-meant and unquestionably welcome.

    Jamyang Norbu: Seeking the Power of the Powerless Jamyang Norbu 2011

  • Marlene, well-meant, I'm sure, but these guys have to find a place to live first.

    Nightmare in Baja, please help 2009

  • Marlene, well-meant, I'm sure, but these guys have to find a place to live first.

    Nightmare in Baja, please help 2009

  • Here, too, there are well-meant words about bellies and breasts, but again, despite the positive message that one doesn't have to be bony to be beautiful, it's still a show about looking at women, a pastime of which it seems we'll never tire.

    Big breasts are the new small breasts Eva Wiseman 2010

  • But the warning from MPs last year that a well-meant project to support Muslim social institutions had become tainted by negative association with counter-terrorism illustrates the difficulties of intervention in this area.

    Counter-terrorism: Prevention and cure | Editorial 2011

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