wellintentioned

Well-intentioned is an adjective used to describe actions, proposals, or people motivated by good intentions, rather than by malice or selfish aims. It recognizes positive motives while allowing evaluation of the effects, feasibility, and possible harm of those actions. In everyday usage, well-intentioned efforts are typically aimed at helping or improving a situation, even when outcomes are imperfect or misguided.

Etymology and usage: the term is formed from well (indicating goodness) and intention (motive) with the participial suffix -ed. It belongs to a family of related terms such as well-meaning and benevolent. The standard spelling in modern English is with a hyphen; without a hyphen is sometimes used in informal writing.

Nuance and context: in ethical, political, and social discourse, the label can convey praise for care and sincerity while inviting scrutiny of methods. It is often used to acknowledge good motives while cautioning against paternalism, neglect of context, or unintended consequences. The phrase is common in evaluations of policies, programs, and social interventions that fail to achieve their stated goals despite being well meaning.

See also: well-meaning, benevolent, paternalism.