w-e-l-l
WELL is a versatile word with multiple meanings: a deep hole for water, in good health, satisfactorily, or to spring up or flow.
7
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
WELL is one of English's most versatile words, functioning as multiple parts of speech with distinct meanings. As a noun, it refers to a deep shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water, oil, or gas. As an adverb, it means "in a good or satisfactory way" ("she sings well"). As an adjective, it means "in good health" ("I feel well today"). As a verb, it means to rise to the surface and spill or flow forth.
The word's flexibility makes it essential in everyday English. From wishing wells that capture our hopes to oil wells that fuel economies, from doing well in life to tears welling up in moments of emotion, WELL touches multiple aspects of human experience.
In idiomatic usage, WELL appears in countless expressions: "well done," "as well as," "may as well," "alive and well," and "all's well that ends well." This small word carries profound meaning across contexts, from measuring success to expressing emotion.
"Well" has ancient roots, deriving from Old English "wella" (spring, stream) and "wel" (in a good way), which trace back to Proto-Germanic "*wallan" (to bubble, boil) and "*wel-" (to wish, will). The water-source meaning connects to the Indo-European root "*wel-" meaning "to turn, roll," referring to water bubbling up. The adverbial sense comes from the same root as "will" and "wealth," originally meaning "according to one's wishes." These separate origins merged in Middle English, creating the modern word's remarkable versatility.
•4-letter words like WELL are versatile for creating multiple crosswords
•Knowing uncommon but valid words gives you a significant advantage in word games
•WELL can often be extended with prefixes or suffixes for even more points
•Double letters in WELL can be useful for parallel plays
•The deepest water well ever drilled reached 12,262 meters (40,230 feet) in Russia
""I played WELL on a triple word score and earned a huge number of points.""
""WELL is one of those words that can really boost your score in word games.""
"The old well had supplied the village with fresh water for over two centuries."
"She played the piano remarkably well for someone who had only studied for a year."
Total base points: 7 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 1 | Consonants: 3
A shaft sunk into the earth to reach water, oil, or gas. Wells have been central to human civilization, determining where settlements could thrive. Modern wells can reach incredible depths to access groundwater aquifers.
In a good, proper, or satisfactory way. This is perhaps the most common usage, appearing in phrases like "sleep well," "think well of," and "well said." It's the standard way to describe positive performance.
In good health; not sick. "I'm well" is the traditional response to health inquiries, though modern usage often substitutes "good." The distinction between "well" (health) and "good" (general state) remains important in formal English.
To rise to the surface and flow. Often used with "up": tears well up, emotions well within. This usage captures the image of water rising in a well, applied metaphorically to feelings and liquids.
The tradition of tossing coins into wells while making wishes dates back to ancient times. Early Europeans believed wells were portals to divine powers, and offerings would bring good fortune.
Wells appear throughout literature as symbols of depth, mystery, truth, and hidden knowledge. From "The Well of Loneliness" to countless fairy tales, wells represent passages between worlds.
Historically, wells served as gathering places where communities shared news and strengthened social bonds. The phrase "village well" evokes this central role in daily life.
The W (4 points) makes WELL worth 7 base points. Always try to place the W on double or triple letter scores. A well-placed WELL can easily score 15-20 points.
The double L creates opportunities for parallel plays. You can form words like ELL, ALL, or ILL while playing WELL perpendicular to existing words.
WELL extends easily: WELLS (+4), DWELL (+7), SWELL (+8). It can also form compounds like WELLSPRING or WELLNESS in games that allow longer words.
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like WELL