Phrase guide

very well

adj · adv · intj · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see very, well.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • I'm feeling very well today.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see very, well.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • She plays very well almost any instrument that you can think of.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Used to weaken the effect of certain modal verbs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • It may very well rain this afternoon.
  • I can't very well talk to you and concentrate on sanding this at the same time.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

intj

Meaning 4

Indicating acceptance, often with resignation or acquiescence, of a statement or situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: formal, idiomatic

Examples

  • A: I don't want to go today.
  • B: Very well. Let's go tomorrow, then.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

intj

Meaning 5

Synonym of fair enough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fair enough

Antonyms: none provided

6

intj

Meaning 6

A standard response by a superior to a report or confirmation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, naval, navy, politics, war

Examples

  • Conning officer: "Rudder amidships."
  • Helmsman: "Rudder amidships aye! Rudder now amidships."
  • Conning officer: "Very well."

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

an expression of agreement normally occurring at the beginning of a sentence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fine, alright, all right, OK

Antonyms: none provided

8

adverb

Meaning 8

quite well

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she doesn't feel first-rate today

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: first-rate

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: hyvä on — interjection
  • Finnish: selvä se — interjection
  • German: na gut — interjection
  • Japanese: よかろう (yokarō) — interjection
  • Māori: āe mārika — interjection
  • Navajo: hágoshį́į́ — interjection
  • Norwegian: javel — interjection
  • Norwegian: da så — interjection
  • Polish: dobrze — interjection
  • Polish: świetnie — interjection
  • Russian: хорошо́ — interjection
  • Russian: ла́дно — interjection
  • Spanish: muy bien — interjection
  • Spanish: biensísimo — interjection