welcome
welcome — verb
1. to show pleasure at a person's arrival by meeting them with kind words or friend
to show pleasure at a person's arrival by meeting them with kind words or friendly actions, especially as a host or hostess.
Paloma stood at the door to welcome the dinner guests with a warm smile.
welcome + person + with + noun phrase
The school principal welcomed the new students on their first morning of classes.
Anjali's grandmother welcomed the whole family into her small kitchen for tea.
welcome + into + place
The hotel staff welcomed tired travelers with cold drinks and a map of the city.
- welcome guests
- welcome visitors
- welcome someone home
- welcome someone into
- warmly welcome
Grammar Patterns
welcome + person
Usage Note
Frequently used in passive: 'Visitors are welcomed by staff at the entrance.' Often followed by 'with' (welcomed with a smile/flowers) or 'into' (welcomed into the home).
Common Mistakes
2. to react with pleasure to a new idea, change, or event, showing that you support
to react with pleasure to a new idea, change, or event, showing that you support it and are glad it is happening.
Indra welcomed the decision to reduce class sizes at her school.
welcome + decision/plan/idea (abstract object)
The mayor welcomed the plan to build more public parks across the city.
Most families welcomed the extra holiday that the government announced.
Christopher welcomed the chance to lead the community gardening project.
welcome + chance/opportunity
- welcome the decision
- welcome the plan
- welcome the change
- welcome the opportunity
- welcome the news
Grammar Patterns
welcome + noun phrase
Usage Note
Object is nearly always an abstract thing — a decision, plan, change, opportunity, or development. Not used for welcoming a person in this sense.
Common Mistakes
welcome — adjective
1. describing a person who is received with pleasure and made to feel wanted in a p
describing a person who is received with pleasure and made to feel wanted in a particular place or group.
The new students were made to feel welcome on their first day of school.
made to feel welcome — passive pattern for received status
New members are always welcome at the weekend hiking club meetings.
Every visitor, young or old, is welcome at the annual village harvest festival.
person + be + welcome + at + place — describing received status
Yara felt welcome in the art group from her very first class.
feel welcome — common collocation
- feel welcome
- make someone welcome
- welcome guest
- welcome visitor
- always welcome
- unwelcome
describing someone whose presence is not wanted
Grammar Patterns
person + be + welcome + (to place)
Usage Note
Often used in fixed phrases like 'make someone feel welcome' and 'you're welcome to (do something/place).' When used before a noun (e.g., 'a welcome guest'), it describes the visitor's status.
Common Mistakes
2. describing actions, words, or a general atmosphere that shows someone is pleased
describing actions, words, or a general atmosphere that shows someone is pleased another person is present and wants them to feel comfortable.
The small village gave the travelers a very welcoming reception.
gave + person + a welcoming + noun — atmosphere/action pattern
A welcome mat and a vase of fresh flowers greeted visitors at the front door.
The committee prepared a welcome packet with information for each new member.
welcome packet — noun modifier pattern
Tunde found the office atmosphere warm and welcoming from his first day.
- welcoming atmosphere
- welcoming smile
- welcoming gesture
- make someone feel welcome
- welcome packet
- hospitable
more formal, often about hosts providing food/shelter
- friendly
broader — not specific to receiving visitors
- unwelcoming
cold or hostile atmosphere toward visitors
Grammar Patterns
make + person + feel + welcome
welcoming + noun
Usage Note
Commonly appears as the -ing modifier 'welcoming' (e.g., 'a welcoming smile'). Distinguish from Adj/1: Adj/2 describes the action or gesture that creates a friendly atmosphere, not the person's status as wanted.
Common Mistakes
3. describing something that gives pleasure or satisfaction, often because it comes
describing something that gives pleasure or satisfaction, often because it comes at a good time or meets a need.
A cool breeze was a welcome relief after the hot afternoon sun.
welcome relief — common fixed phrase
News of the promotion came as a welcome surprise to Wei.
welcome surprise — common phrase
A warm cup of tea is always welcome on a cold rainy evening at home.
The extra funding was a welcome boost for the struggling local library.
welcome boost — common collocation
- welcome relief
- welcome surprise
- welcome change
- welcome break
- welcome addition
- welcome boost
- pleasing
general term for giving satisfaction
- appreciated
emphasizes gratitude for something needed
- agreeable
slightly formal, describes mild pleasantness
- unwelcome
not wanted or desirable at this time
Grammar Patterns
be + welcome + (to person)
a welcome + noun
Usage Note
Often used before a noun to form common fixed pairs: 'welcome relief,' 'welcome break,' 'welcome change,' 'welcome addition.' The adjective describes the thing itself, not the person.
Common Mistakes
4. said to let another person know they are freely allowed to do what they wish, wi
said to let another person know they are freely allowed to do what they wish, with your full approval.
You are welcome to borrow any book from my personal library.
be + welcome + to + verb (permission pattern)
Students are welcome to use the computer lab until nine o'clock in the evening.
Visitors are welcome to take photos inside the museum, but no flash is allowed.
Anyone who wants to join is welcome to come to the meeting on Thursday night.
be + welcome + to + verb — giving open invitation
- welcome to join
- welcome to use
- welcome to come
- welcome to try
- welcome to attend
- free to
more general; 'free to' can be neutral, while 'welcome to' is friendly
- permitted to
more formal, less warm in tone
Grammar Patterns
person + be + welcome + to + verb
Usage Note
Only used in the pattern 'someone + be + welcome + to + verb.' This sense never appears directly before a noun (not 'a welcome person to borrow books'). Do not confuse with Adj/1 — this sense grants permission, not describes a person's status.
Common Mistakes
welcome — noun
1. the way a person is greeted and treated when they arrive at a place, especially
the way a person is greeted and treated when they arrive at a place, especially the friendliness or warmth shown to them.
The team gave the new coach a warm welcome at the training ground.
give + person + a + adjective + welcome
A banner saying 'Welcome Home' hung across the front gate.
The welcome from the local community was far warmer than the family expected.
Brandon received a welcome as cold as the winter air outside the office.
adjective + welcome — describing reception quality
- warm welcome
- cold welcome
- enthusiastic welcome
- give someone a welcome
- receive a welcome
- reception
broader term — can describe any kind of receiving, not just friendly
- greeting
focuses on the initial words or actions at arrival
- salutation
very formal, mostly in written contexts
- snub
deliberate cold treatment upon arrival
Grammar Patterns
give + person + a + welcome
receive + a + welcome
Usage Note
Commonly paired with adjectives describing the quality: 'warm welcome,' 'cold welcome,' 'enthusiastic welcome.' Often used in the verb phrase 'give someone a (adjective) welcome.'
Common Mistakes
2. used in fixed expressions meaning that someone stays in a place or keeps doing s
used in fixed expressions meaning that someone stays in a place or keeps doing something for too long, so that the person who invited them no longer wants them there.
Sophia stayed until midnight and worried she had outstayed her welcome.
outstay one's welcome — fixed idiom
After three weeks at his cousin's apartment, Jason had worn out his welcome.
wear out one's welcome — fixed idiom
The guest did not notice he had outstayed his welcome at the weekend party.
Talking too loudly each day at the quiet cafe, the group wore out their welcome.
- outstay one's welcome
- wear out one's welcome
- overstay one's welcome
Grammar Patterns
outstay/wear out + one's + welcome
Usage Note
Almost always appears in one of two fixed verb phrases: 'outstay one's welcome' or 'wear out one's welcome.' The possessive (my/your/his/her/their) is required. Not used outside these patterns.
Common Mistakes
3. the way people react to a new idea, suggestion, plan, or event, especially the l
the way people react to a new idea, suggestion, plan, or event, especially the level of approval or disapproval they show.
The proposal received a mixed welcome from the town council members.
mixed welcome — describing divided reaction
The president's speech got a cool welcome from the opposition party.
cool welcome — negative reaction
The new bus route was given a cautious welcome by local shop owners.
cautious welcome — hesitant approval
Mia's suggestion for a recycling program met with an enthusiastic welcome from staff.
enthusiastic welcome — strong positive reaction
- mixed welcome
- cool welcome
- cautious welcome
- enthusiastic welcome
- lukewarm welcome
- meet with a welcome
Grammar Patterns
a + adjective + welcome
get/receive/meet with + a + welcome
Usage Note
Typically paired with an adjective describing the type of reaction (mixed, cool, cautious, enthusiastic, lukewarm). Unlike Noun/1 (which is about greeting a person), this sense is always about reactions to ideas or proposals.
Common Mistakes
welcome — exclamation
1. an exclamation spoken to someone who has just arrived, showing happiness at thei
an exclamation spoken to someone who has just arrived, showing happiness at their presence.
Welcome, Nkechi! Please come in and make yourself comfortable.
standalone exclamation with named addressee
Welcome to our neighborhood! said Mrs. Lin with a friendly wave.
Welcome back, Takeshi! We missed you while you were away.
welcome + back — returning person
Welcome to the team! I am sure you will enjoy working with us.
welcome + to + group/organization
- welcome to
- welcome back
- welcome home
- welcome aboard
Grammar Patterns
Welcome + to + place
Welcome back/home
Word family
- welcomingadjectiveB1
- welcomernounC1
- unwelcomeadjectiveB2
- unwelcomingadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
These four verbs all describe a positive response, but they differ in intensity and context. Welcome is the most general and warm — it means you are genuinely pleased about an idea or event, often implying support for it. Embrace goes further: it suggests actively adopting the idea as your own, with enthusiasm and commitment. Applaud is more about public approval; you can applaud a decision without being directly involved in carrying it out. Greet is the weakest of the four — it can simply mean 'receive in a particular way' without the emotional warmth of welcome. For example: 'The company welcomed the new safety rules, the director embraced the changes, the staff applauded the announcement, and the media greeted the news with cautious optimism.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- welcome party
- welcome speech
- welcome sign
- welcome mat
Adverbs
- warmly welcome
- cordially welcome
- enthusiastically welcome
- officially welcome
Phrases
- make someone welcome
- feel welcome
- you're welcome
- welcome aboard
Prepositions
- welcome to
- welcome into
- welcome at
Etymology
The word 'welcome' comes from Old English 'wilcuma,' which combines 'willa' (pleasure, desire, will) and 'cuma' (guest, comer). The original meaning was therefore 'a guest whose coming gives pleasure.' Over time, the noun describing the desirable guest shifted into the greeting we use today. By the 14th century, it was already used as both an exclamation ('Welcome!') and a verb ('to welcome someone'). The adjective use followed naturally, describing someone or something that is gladly received.