welcome

1 of 4

verb

wel·​come ˈwel-kəm How to pronounce welcome (audio)
welcomed; welcoming

transitive verb

1
: to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality
2
: to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of
welcomes danger
welcomer noun

welcome

2 of 4

interjection

used to express a greeting to a guest or newcomer upon arrival

welcome

3 of 4

adjective

1
: received gladly into one's presence or companionship
was always welcome in their home
2
: giving pleasure : received with gladness or delight especially in response to a need
a welcome relief
3
: willingly permitted or admitted
he was welcome to come and goW. M. Thackeray
4
used in the phrase "You're welcome" as a reply to an expression of thanks
welcomely adverb
welcomeness noun

welcome

4 of 4

noun

1
: a greeting or reception usually upon arrival
a warm welcome
2
: the state of being welcome
overstayed their welcome

Examples of welcome in a Sentence

Verb She welcomed the students into her home. We welcome you to the show. He's a bright student who welcomes a challenge. Adjective That will be a welcome change. He was a welcome sight. Noun He was given a hero's welcome when he returned home after winning the race. offered a warm welcome to the stranger
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The diversity, equity, and inclusion category welcomes applicants of all genders. Ebony Flake, Essence, 20 Mar. 2024 When a wave of migrants began arriving in Democratic-run cities far from the Southern border two years ago, officials welcomed them with open arms. Karin Brulliard, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 William Langston Thornton, 30 Billy and Cherniak welcomed son William Langston Thornton on June 27, 1993. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 This set comes with 15 LED bulbs, which are sure to infuse your space with a soft, welcoming glow. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2024 People observe the holiday do so to welcome the start of of spring. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Drum circles, particularly on the equinoxes and solstices, are a ritual in many cultures for the community to come together, welcome the new season, and speak their prayers for the coming months. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 19 Mar. 2024 Many in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street have welcomed the nation back into the fold. Rob Copeland, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Walk-in customers are welcome; no reservation required. Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2024 Trained service animals and service animals in training are welcome and must be under control of the handler. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024 So welcome to recruiting in the modern era, Bruins. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 People-watching can be a welcome distraction while trekking around the city on public transportation. Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 But the biggest takeaway for homebuyers is undoubtedly welcome: The overall cost to buy a home should fall by thousands of dollars on average. David Goldman, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Finally, second baseman Joe Gordon ― like Doby a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame — gave him a proper ballplayer welcome, a greeting that sparked a friendship. Detroit Free Press, 17 Mar. 2024 Bonuses and Promotions: 4.7/5 This real money online casino has a wager-free welcome bonus. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 The gains likely comes as welcome news for U.S. homeowners, many of whom borrow against their home equity to pay for repairs on their property, fund their kids' college educations or make pricey purchases. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
In a welcome upgrade over the previous model, Motorola has added NFC for mobile payments. PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 As an actress, Kristen Wiig never wears out her welcome. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 The current welcome offer on the Capital One Venture X is 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on your card in the first three months of account opening. Harrison Pierce, Travel + Leisure, 17 Mar. 2024 State Route 64 leading to the Grand Canyon Village was closed in both directions between the Village's eastside and the Grand Canyon welcome sign to the east. The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024 Yet even the most ardent awards show enthusiasts concede that the season overstays its welcome. Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 However, the welcome bonus is noticeably less for those looking to conduct their online gambling in USD, coming in at 250% up to $1,000. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Consumer advocates praised the measure as providing welcome relief for millions of credit card users, but business interests accused regulators of overstepping their authority and promised legal action to prevent the rule from going into effect. Scott Horsley, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 As those adorable little frogs thaw out from the winter and welcome in the spring, outdoor enthusiasts can finally begin to do the same. Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English welcumian, wylcumian, from wilcuma, noun

Interjection

Middle English, alteration of wilcume, from Old English, from wilcuma desirable guest (akin to Old High German willicomo desirable guest); akin to Old English willa, will desire, cuman to come — more at will, come

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of welcome was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near welcome

Cite this Entry

“Welcome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/welcome. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

welcome

1 of 4 interjection
wel·​come ˈwel-kəm How to pronounce welcome (audio)
used to greet a guest or newcomer upon arrival

welcome

2 of 4 verb
welcomed; welcoming
1
: to greet in a warm and friendly manner
2
: to receive or accept with pleasure
welcomes a challenge
welcomer noun

welcome

3 of 4 adjective
1
: received gladly
a welcome visitor
2
: giving pleasure : pleasing
welcome news
3
: willingly permitted to do, have, or enjoy something
anyone is welcome to use the pool
4
used in the phrase "You're welcome" as a reply to an expression of thanks

welcome

4 of 4 noun
: a friendly greeting or reception

More from Merriam-Webster on welcome

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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