1
: being in good condition or favorable circumstances
doesn't know when he's well-off
2
: well provided : having no lack
usually used with for
3
a
: being in easy or affluent circumstances : well-to-do
b
: suggesting prosperity
the house had a sleek well-off look

Examples of well-off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Working in the shadows, asylum-seekers without well-off sponsors find themselves in limbo, stuck in substandard housing or reliant on small networks of church or immigrant advocacy groups. Palabra, al, 22 Mar. 2023 In that way, the benefits would be accessible to all and not just the well-off who can afford to use such technologies. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2023 Not far away, a Ferrari dealership has opened, while a new restaurant allows well-off diners to enjoy a meal seated atop a giant crane overlooking the city. Frances Robles Adriana Loureiro Fernandez, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023 An inevitably moving tale as Little Bird, now mid-twenties, part of a well-off Jewish elite and engaged, sets off into the Canadian prairies to encounter the truth of her past. John Hopewell, Variety, 18 Mar. 2023 And that the most welcome gift from a more well-off and well-meaning mother is to send cash? Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2023 That’s when, amid economic uncertainty, the well-off feel more of the bite. Justin Lahart, WSJ, 17 Feb. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of well-off was in 1715

Dictionary Entries Near well-off

Cite this Entry

“Well-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well-off. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

well-off

adjective
-ˈȯf
1
: being in good condition or in a good situation
2

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