If you’ve ever written “thank you for your well wishes” and then stopped to wonder whether the phrase is actually correct, you’re not alone. The expression is common, easy to understand, and widely used in everyday English, yet its grammar can make careful writers hesitate.
The short answer is yes, “well wishes” is an established English expression. Major dictionary evidence supports the related noun well-wish, which Merriam-Webster dates to 1595 and defines as a good or kindly wish. The Oxford English Dictionary, as reported by Grammarphobia, also records well wishes and explains its formation from well and wish.
Is “well wishes” correct English? Yes, “well wishes” is an established English expression used to communicate kindness, support, goodwill, or positive thoughts toward someone.
Quick Answer: Is “Well Wishes” Grammatically Correct?
The Short Answer
“Well wishes” is correct and understandable in modern English, particularly when you use it as a noun phrase meaning kind thoughts, goodwill, support, or hopes for someone’s well-being.
For example:
- Thank you for your well wishes after my surgery.
- We’re sending our well wishes to the graduating class.
- Everyone offered their well wishes before her departure.
- She received hundreds of well wishes online.
The expression isn’t a recent internet invention, either. Dictionary.com traces early records of well wishes to around 1595, while Merriam-Webster gives 1595 as the first known use of well-wish.
That history matters because it shows that the expression has a long presence in English.
The confusion usually comes from the word well. In a sentence such as “I wish you well,” well functions as an adverb. But in “well wishes,” it appears directly before the noun wishes. That structure can make the phrase look unusual if you learned a simplified rule that says adverbs cannot modify nouns.
English, however, is full of established compounds and idiomatic expressions that don’t fit neatly into basic classroom formulas.
Why People Question the Phrase
The phrase raises eyebrows because “good wishes” seems structurally straightforward:
good + wishes
Here, good is an adjective, and wishes is a noun.
But:
well + wishes
appears different because well is most familiar as an adverb:
She sings well.
He performed well.
They worked well together.
That leads to a reasonable question: If “well” is an adverb, how can it sit next to a noun?
The answer is that English doesn’t always restrict words to one grammatical role. Well can function as an adjective in certain contexts, especially when it refers to someone’s health:
I’m well today.
She isn’t well.
More importantly, well-wish has become an established lexical item. Merriam-Webster lists well-wish as a noun meaning “a good or kindly wish,” with a first known use dating to 1595.
So calling well wishes an outright grammatical error oversimplifies the issue.
When “Well Wishes” Sounds Natural
The expression sounds especially natural when you’re talking about support, recovery, encouragement, goodwill, or positive hopes.
Consider these situations:
| Situation | Natural wording |
| Recovery | Sending you well wishes for a speedy recovery. |
| Career change | We send our well wishes as you begin your new role. |
| Graduation | Well wishes to the graduating class. |
| Farewell | Please accept our well wishes for your next chapter. |
| Public support | Fans shared their well wishes online. |
| Personal response | Thank you for all your well wishes. |
One particularly natural construction is “thank you for your well wishes.” People commonly use it when responding to messages of support after illness, injury, difficult circumstances, celebrations, or major life events. Dictionary.com specifically notes that people often give or send well wishes through cards, emails, social posts, comments, and direct messages.
What Does “Well Wishes” Mean?
Definition of “Well Wishes”
Well wishes means kind or positive thoughts expressed toward another person. Depending on the context, those thoughts may involve health, happiness, success, encouragement, recovery, or general goodwill.
Think of it as a verbal gesture that says:
I hope things go well for you.
That doesn’t mean well wishes always refer to physical health.
For example:
“The team sent well wishes to its retiring coach.”
Nobody is necessarily suggesting that the coach is sick. The phrase simply expresses goodwill toward the person during a major transition.
Likewise:
“Friends sent well wishes before she moved overseas.”
Here, the expression communicates support and positive hopes for the person’s new chapter.
Dictionary.com describes well wishes as kind words that express a desire for someone’s good health, good things, or support.
The Intended Meaning Behind the Phrase
The exact meaning depends on context.
When someone says:
“I’m sending you well wishes,”
they might mean:
- I hope you recover quickly.
- I hope your new job goes well.
- I hope your family is doing well.
- I’m thinking positively about you.
- I support you during this difficult period.
- I hope the next stage of your life goes smoothly.
That’s why context is crucial.
If a friend has just had surgery, well wishes naturally suggest hopes for recovery. If a colleague has retired, it suggests positive thoughts for the future.
The expression functions almost like a linguistic umbrella. It covers several forms of goodwill without forcing the speaker to spell out every emotion.
How Native English Speakers Interpret It
Most English speakers can understand well wishes immediately.
They generally interpret it as a friendly or supportive expression. The phrase can feel somewhat warmer and more personal than a standard closing such as best wishes, particularly when it appears in a sentence like:
“Thank you for all your well wishes.”
At the same time, best wishes remains more conventional in many letters and professional messages.
This distinction is worth remembering:
Correctness and naturalness aren’t always the same thing.
A phrase can be established and understandable while another phrase remains more common in a particular setting.
Is “Well Wishes” Correct English?
Grammar Analysis of “Well Wishes”
The grammar becomes easier once you separate “I wish you well” from “well wishes.”
In:
I wish you well.
Wish is the verb. You is the object. Well describes the desired state associated with the person.
In:
I sent my well wishes.
Well wishes functions as a noun phrase.
The phrase has effectively become a fixed expression. English contains many compounds and set phrases whose internal structure isn’t necessarily what a learner would construct from scratch.
Merriam-Webster’s entry for well-wish is especially useful here because it recognizes the term as a noun rather than treating it merely as a mistaken arrangement of well and wish.
Grammarphobia also notes that well wishes, good wishes, and best wishes all have roots going back to the late sixteenth century. It reports that the Oxford English Dictionary defines well wishes as an instance of wishing well to someone or something.
That historical evidence makes the “modern grammatical mistake” explanation difficult to defend.
Why Some People Think It Sounds Wrong
The phrase can sound strange because best wishes is so familiar.
Compare:
Best wishes for your new job.
with:
Well wishes for your new job.
The first sentence feels more conventional to many readers.
That doesn’t automatically make the second one wrong. It simply means that collocation matters.
A collocation is a combination of words that English speakers tend to use together. For example, native speakers expect heavy rain, not powerful rain, even though both expressions are logically understandable.
Similarly, best wishes has become an extremely familiar pairing.
So when someone encounters well wishes, their brain may register it as unusual before it registers the meaning.
The Difference Between Grammar and Style
This is where many grammar discussions go off track.
There are really three separate questions:
- Can English speakers understand the phrase?
- Is the phrase established in English?
- Is it the best stylistic choice for this situation?
For well wishes, the answer to the first two is clearly yes.
The third depends on context.
For a social media post, well wishes may sound perfectly comfortable:
Sending well wishes to everyone affected by the storm.
For a formal business letter, you might prefer:
Please accept my best wishes for your continued success.
Neither decision requires declaring the other expression “wrong.”
What English Usage Experts Say
Reliable dictionary evidence supports the existence of well-wish as an established noun. Merriam-Webster lists it with a definition centered on a good or kindly wish and dates its first known use to 1595.
Grammarphobia’s discussion adds useful historical context, noting that good wishes, best wishes, and well wishes have all been documented for centuries. It also reports that well wishes has generally been less common than the other two expressions.
That gives us a more accurate picture than either extreme:
“Well wishes is always wrong” is too strong.
“Well wishes is always the best choice” is also too strong.
The sensible conclusion is that well wishes is an established expression, but its register and frequency vary by context.
Well Wishes vs. Best Wishes vs. Good Wishes
These expressions overlap, but they aren’t interchangeable in every situation.
Meaning Comparison
| Expression | Core meaning | Typical feel |
| Well wishes | Positive thoughts, goodwill, or hopes for someone’s well-being | Warm, supportive |
| Best wishes | Positive hopes for someone’s future or situation | Conventional, neutral |
| Good wishes | Kind or positive hopes | Traditional, somewhat formal |
The difference becomes clearer when you put them into real sentences.
Well wishes:
Thank you for all your well wishes during my recovery.
Best wishes:
Best wishes for your new position.
Good wishes:
We extend our good wishes to the newly appointed director.
All three communicate goodwill, but their stylistic fingerprints differ.
Tone and Formality Differences
Well wishes often feel emotionally supportive.
Best wishes has a broader range. You can use it with friends, colleagues, clients, teachers, or acquaintances.
Good wishes is perfectly understandable but can sound more traditional or formal depending on the sentence.
A useful rule of thumb looks like this:
| If you want to sound… | Consider… |
| Warm and supportive | Well wishes |
| Neutral and conventional | Best wishes |
| Traditional or formal | Good wishes |
| Direct and encouraging | Good luck |
| Health-focused | Get well soon |
| Personal and caring | Thinking of you |
Which Phrase Sounds Most Natural?
For a supportive social media message, well wishes works comfortably.For formal prose, expressions of support or messages of goodwill may provide greater precision.For illness, get well soon can be more direct.
The goal isn’t to find one magic phrase. The goal is to match the expression to the job it needs to do.When Each Expression Should Be UsedUse well wishes when you want to emphasize goodwill or emotional support.Use best wishes when you need a flexible expression that works almost anywhere.Use good wishes when a slightly traditional tone fits the setting.
For example:
We’re sending well wishes to everyone affected.
Best wishes on your retirement.
Please accept our good wishes for the coming year.
Each sentence works because the phrase fits the surrounding context.
The History of the Phrase “Well Wishes”
Early Uses of “Wish” and “Wishes” in English
The history of well wishes is older than many people assume.
Dictionary.com places early records of the expression around 1595, while Merriam-Webster dates well-wish to the same year.
Grammarphobia likewise reports that well wishes, good wishes, and best wishes all appear in English records from the late sixteenth century.
So this isn’t a phrase that suddenly appeared because of texting, social media, or modern internet slang.
Its modern digital popularity is simply another chapter in a much longer history.
The Evolution of Goodwill Expressions
English speakers have long needed compact ways to express positive intentions.
Instead of explaining an entire emotional message, a speaker can say:
Best wishes.
Or:
I wish you well.
Or:
Sending well wishes.
These expressions compress a larger sentiment into a few words.
That efficiency explains part of their staying power. A good goodwill phrase works like a linguistic shorthand: the words are short, but the intended message is much larger.
When Should You Use “Well Wishes”?
Personal Messages
Well wishes work particularly well when you’re showing support without becoming overly dramatic.
For example:
Sending you well wishes as you start your new job.
Thank you for the well wishes. They really mean a lot.
Our family sends well wishes to yours.
The phrase leaves room for warmth without requiring an intimate relationship.
Greeting Cards
Cards provide another natural home for goodwill expressions.
You might write:
Sending warm well wishes on your retirement.
However, in many card messages, best wishes, warm wishes, or wishing you happiness may sound smoother.
That’s because card language often relies on familiar formulas.
Farewell Messages
When someone leaves a workplace, school, city, or organization, well wishes can express hope for what’s ahead.
For example:
We send our well wishes as you begin this exciting new chapter.
A shorter alternative would be:
Best wishes for the future!
The first emphasizes supportive sentiment. The second is more conventional.
Congratulations and New Beginnings
You can also use well wishes for:
- Graduation
- Marriage
- New employment
- Retirement
- Relocation
- Promotions
- New business ventures
- Major personal milestones
For example:
The entire department sends well wishes to Jordan on the new position.
Here, well wishes clearly means positive thoughts for someone’s future rather than medical recovery.
Situations Where “Well Wishes” May Not Be the Best Choice
Professional Communication
Professional writing rewards clarity and convention.
That doesn’t mean well wishes are forbidden at work. It means another expression may fit better.
Compare:
Well wishes on your continued success.
with:
Best wishes for your continued success.
The second sounds more conventional in professional correspondence.
For a formal email, you might also choose:
Warm regards,
or:
Kind regards,
depending on the relationship and purpose.
Formal Writing
In reports, official announcements, institutional statements, or formal correspondence, precision matters.
Instead of:
The organization received many well wishes after the announcement.
you could write:
The organization received many messages of support after the announcement.
That version removes any possible ambiguity and sounds more institutional.
Sympathy Messages
This is a particularly important distinction.
If someone has lost a loved one, simply saying:
Sending well wishes.
may sound too generic.
A sympathy message usually benefits from more direct empathy:
Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
The issue isn’t grammatical correctness. It’s emotional precision.
Words should fit the situation.
Medical Recovery Messages
For illness or recovery, well wishes can work very naturally:
Thank you for all your well wishes during my recovery.
But get well soon is more direct:
Get well soon! We’re thinking of you.
And wishing you a speedy recovery provides a more polished option:
Wishing you a smooth and speedy recovery.
The best choice depends on whether you want general goodwill or a specific recovery message.
Examples of “Well Wishes” Used Correctly
Everyday Conversation Examples
Here are natural constructions worth remembering:
- Thanks for the well wishes.
- Please send my well wishes to your family.
- We’re sending well wishes your way.
- Everyone shared their well wishes.
- I appreciate all the well wishes.
- She offered her well wishes before leaving.
The construction “well wishes” is usually plural. The singular “well wish” exists lexically, but ordinary speakers overwhelmingly tend to use the plural expression when talking about goodwill from one or more people. Dictionary.com specifically notes that the singular form is very rarely used.
Card Message Examples
For cards, consider:
Sending you well wishes for a bright and happy future.
Warm wishes and congratulations on your achievement.
Our well wishes are with you as you begin this new chapter.
However, don’t force the expression into every card. Sometimes “Wishing you all the best” simply sounds better.
Email and Text Message Examples
Digital communication favors shorter wording:
Thanks for the well wishes!
Sending well wishes to everyone involved.
I appreciate your well wishes and support.
These constructions work because the tone is personal without becoming overly formal.
Workplace Examples
For colleagues, you could write:
We’re sending our well wishes as Maya begins her new role.
Or, in a more formal announcement:
We extend our best wishes to Maya in her new position.
The second version is safer when writing for a large organization or external audience.
Common Mistakes People Make With “Well Wishes”
Confusing “Well Wishes” With “Get Well Wishes”
These phrases overlap but don’t mean the same thing.
Well wishes can refer to almost any positive expression of support.
Get well wishes specifically concern illness or recovery.
Compare:
Fans sent well wishes after the athlete’s retirement.
No illness is involved.
Now:
Fans sent get well wishes after the athlete’s injury.
The second phrase clearly focuses on recovery.
Using It in the Wrong Context
A phrase can be grammatically acceptable yet contextually awkward.
For example:
The legal contract contains our well wishes.
That sounds strange because a contract isn’t normally where people express personal goodwill.
A better sentence might be:
The accompanying letter expresses our best wishes for your continued success.
Good writing isn’t only about grammar. Context determines whether a phrase belongs.
Overly Formal vs. Casual Usage
Don’t mistake a warm expression for a universally appropriate formal expression.
For a friend:
Sending you lots of well wishes!
works nicely.
For a formal business letter:
Please accept my best wishes for your continued success.
is usually more polished.
The difference is register, not simply correctness.
Better Alternatives to “Well Wishes”
Sometimes the best revision is not to defend well wishes but to replace it.Best WishesBest wishes is the safest all-purpose alternative.Best wishes for your new position.
It works in professional and personal settings and rarely sounds out of place.Good WishesGood wishes carries a similar meaning but can sound slightly more traditional.Good wishes to you and your family.It’s clear, grammatical, and appropriate in many contexts.Warm WishesWarm wishes adds a little more affection.Warm wishes as you begin this new chapter.
It’s especially suitable for cards, personal notes, and friendly correspondence. Kind RegardsKind regards is different because it normally functions as an email or letter closing.Kind regards,Alex
It shouldn’t replace well wishes when you’re explicitly expressing hopes for someone’s well-being.
Good Luck
Use good luck when someone is facing a specific challenge.
Good luck with your interview!
This is more direct than well wishes.
Get Well Soon
Use get well soon when illness or injury is the central issue.
Get well soon. We’re thinking of you!
It doesn’t work as a general expression for graduation, retirement, or a new job. Thinking of YouThinking of you is especially useful during difficult or emotional situations.Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
It often feels more personal than the broader well wishes.
Well Wishes vs. Good Wishes: Which Is Better?
Similarities
Both expressions communicate positive intentions and goodwill.
You can use either when you want to express support or hope for someone’s future.
For example:
Sending good wishes for your new adventure.
Sending well wishes for your new adventure.
Both sentences communicate a positive sentiment.
Differences
The main difference lies in usage and tone.
Good wishes has a more transparent grammatical structure because good clearly modifies wishes.
Well wishes has a more idiomatic quality and may feel warmer or more associated with support and well-being.
Neither needs to be treated as universally correct while the other is universally wrong.
Which Should You Choose?
Use this quick guide:
| Your situation | Best choice |
| Formal business email | Best wishes |
| Friendly recovery message | Well wishes |
| Specific illness | Get well soon |
| Job interview | Good luck |
| Difficult personal situation | Thinking of you |
| Warm card message | Warm wishes |
| Formal correspondence | Best wishes or Kind regards |
The key is simple: choose the expression that matches your purpose rather than chasing an abstract “correct” phrase.
How Digital Communication Has Influenced the Use of “Well Wishes”
The Shift From Cards to Electronic Messages
People once relied heavily on cards, letters, and face-to-face conversations to express goodwill.
Now the same sentiment can appear in:
- Text messages
- Emails
- Group chats
- Social media comments
- Direct messages
- Online community posts
Dictionary.com specifically notes that internet communication has expanded the forms well wishes can take, including emails, social media posts, comments, and direct messages.
That change favors expressions that are short, recognizable, and emotionally flexible.
Well wishes fit that environment surprisingly well.
Social Media and the Spread of “Well Wishes”
Social media has made public expressions of support much more common.
When a public figure announces an illness, injury, retirement, loss, or major life event, hundreds or thousands of people may respond with short supportive messages.
A phrase such as:
Sending well wishes.
does a lot of work in only three words.
It communicates concern without demanding a detailed explanation.
This helps explain why the expression feels particularly comfortable in modern digital communication.
What Dictionaries and Language Resources Suggest About “Well Wishes”
Dictionary Definitions Related to “Wish” and “Wishes”
Dictionary evidence gives us a useful anchor.
Merriam-Webster defines well-wish as “a good or kindly wish” and records its first known use as 1595.
Dictionary.com also identifies well wishes as kind words expressing a desire for someone’s good health, good things, or support. It traces the phrase to around 1595.
That evidence strongly supports treating the expression as a real part of English vocabulary.
Usage Guidance From Modern English References
The evidence also reveals an important nuance: existence doesn’t equal universal stylistic preference.
Grammarphobia reports that well wishes has existed for centuries but has generally remained less common than good wishes and best wishes.
So if a style-conscious writer prefers best wishes, that preference isn’t unreasonable.
But calling well wishes an invented or inherently incorrect phrase doesn’t reflect its documented history.
Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Grammar Views
This distinction is especially useful for English learners.
Prescriptive grammar asks how people should use language according to established rules.
Descriptive grammar examines how speakers and writers actually use language.
The phrase well wishes is a good example of why both perspectives matter.
A traditional grammatical analysis may question how well modifies wishes. A usage-based analysis points to centuries of documented use and a recognized dictionary entry.
When those two perspectives appear to conflict, context provides the practical answer.
Expert Insight: Why “Well Wishes” Continues to Survive
The simplest explanation is meaning plus familiarity.
People understand the phrase immediately.
They don’t need to stop and decode it. When someone writes:
Thank you for your well wishes.
The reader knows exactly what the writer means.
That communicative efficiency gives established expressions remarkable staying power.
A Real-World Case Study
Consider the way well wishes appear in public communication after illness or injury.
Dictionary.com documents examples of public figures thanking audiences for their well wishes and of communities sending well wishes to people recovering from injuries.
This provides a useful real-world pattern:
Event → public announcement → supportive responses → thanks for well wishes
The expression works because it neatly labels a large collection of positive responses without requiring the recipient to describe every message individually.
That same pattern appears in ordinary life:
A coworker becomes ill → colleagues send messages → the coworker says, “Thank you for all the well wishes.”
The phrase succeeds because it’s compact, recognizable, and emotionally appropriate.
Common Myths About “Well Wishes”
Myth: “Well Wishes” Is Grammatically Incorrect
This is too absolute.
The expression has documented historical use, and well-wish has a recognized dictionary entry. Merriam-Webster dates it to 1595.
The better conclusion is that well wishes is an established expression whose grammatical structure can seem unusual to modern readers.
Myth: Native Speakers Never Use It
Clearly false.
Dictionary.com documents contemporary examples of native English users employing well wishes and well-wishes in social and public communication.
The expression may be less frequent than best wishes, but less frequent doesn’t mean nonexistent.
Myth: Only “Best Wishes” Is Correct
Best wishes is certainly conventional.
It isn’t the only possible expression of goodwill, though.
English provides several alternatives, including good wishes, warm wishes, well wishes, good luck, and thinking of you.
The correct choice depends on what you want the message to accomplish.
Myth: “Well Wishes” Should Only Refer to Health
This is another common misunderstanding.
Health is one important use:
Thank you for your well wishes during my recovery.
But the phrase can also describe goodwill connected to:
- Retirement
- Graduation
- New jobs
- Relocation
- Marriage
- Public events
- Personal transitions
- Future success
The broader meaning is positive thoughts or goodwill toward someone.
Quick Reference Guide: When to Use Well Wishes
| Expression | Best for | Tone | Example |
| Well wishes | General support and goodwill | Warm, supportive | Thank you for your well wishes. |
| Best wishes | Professional and personal situations | Neutral, conventional | Best wishes for your future. |
| Good wishes | Positive hopes | Traditional | Good wishes for the coming year. |
| Warm wishes | Personal cards and messages | Warm, affectionate | Warm wishes on your retirement. |
| Good luck | A specific challenge | Direct, encouraging | Good luck with your interview. |
| Get well soon | Illness or injury | Caring, direct | Get well soon! |
| Thinking of you | Difficult or emotional circumstances | Personal, empathetic | Thinking of you during this difficult time. |
| Kind regards | Email and letter closing | Professional | Kind regards, Alex |
The most useful takeaway is this:
“Well wishes” is an established English expression, but it isn’t always the most conventional option.
In other words, don’t let the grammar debate send you down a rabbit hole. Well wishes have a long history, a clear meaning, and a legitimate place in modern English. The real skill lies in knowing when it fits—and when another phrase says exactly what you mean more naturally.
Well Wishes vs. Best Wishes vs. Good Wishes: The Basic Difference
At their core, all three expressions communicate a positive intention toward another person.
| Expression | Basic meaning | Typical tone | Common situations |
| Well wishes | Kind thoughts, goodwill, or hopes for someone’s well-being | Warm and supportive | Recovery, personal support, public messages |
| Best wishes | Hopes for someone’s happiness, success, or future | Neutral and conventional | Emails, cards, farewells, congratulations |
| Good wishes | Positive or kind hopes for someone | Traditional and sincere | Formal or general messages |
The distinction becomes easier when you think about the emotional focus of each phrase.
Well wishes often highlight the person’s well-being. If someone has been sick, experienced a difficult event, or reached an important life milestone, the phrase can feel particularly fitting.
Best wishes is broader. You can use it for a new job, retirement, graduation, birthday, move, wedding, or professional correspondence without much risk of sounding out of place.
Good wishes carries much the same basic idea, although it can sound somewhat more traditional than the other two.
Importantly, these aren’t three completely separate categories. They overlap. English often gives speakers several ways to express essentially the same social intention.
Why “Well Wishes” Can Sound Different From “Best Wishes”
The phrase well wishes sometimes feels less familiar because best wishes has become such a standard expression.
For example, imagine receiving these two messages:
Best wishes on your retirement.
Well wishes on your retirement.
Both are understandable. The first sounds more conventional to many English speakers, particularly in a formal card or professional message. The second sounds more like an expression of personal goodwill.
That difference doesn’t make well wishes grammatically wrong.
In fact, Grammarphobia notes that good wishes, best wishes, and well wishes have all been recorded since the late sixteenth century. It also reports that well wishes has historically been less common than the other two.
So there’s a useful distinction to remember:
Less common doesn’t mean incorrect.
A phrase can sit outside the most common pattern while still being established English.
What Does “Well Wishes” Emphasize?
The word well gives the expression a subtle focus on someone’s condition or well-being.
Consider:
Thank you for your well wishes during my recovery.
Here, the meaning is easy to grasp: people expressed positive thoughts about the person’s health and recovery.
Now consider:
The team sent well wishes before she moved to another country.
The phrase no longer points specifically to health. Instead, it expresses goodwill toward her future.
That flexibility is one reason well wishes remains useful.
Merriam-Webster also recognizes related terms such as well-wisher, meaning someone who wishes well to another person, and well-wishing, meaning the act of wishing well to another. The dictionary dates well-wisher to around 1576 and well-wishing to 1562.
These related words reinforce an important point: the idea of wishing someone well has a long history in English.
What Does “Best Wishes” Mean?
Best wishes expresses hopes for someone’s happiness, success, or future well-being.
Oxford’s dictionary specifically lists wishes as a plural noun used in letters, emails, and cards when someone hopes another person will be happy, well, or successful. It includes examples such as best wishes for the future, best wishes for a happy birthday, and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
That makes best wishes remarkably versatile.
You can write:
- Best wishes on your graduation.
- Best wishes in your new role.
- Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
- Best wishes to you and your family.
- With best wishes,
It works because the phrase doesn’t force a specific interpretation. The recipient can understand it as a general expression of goodwill.
That’s particularly useful in professional communication, where you often want to sound friendly without becoming overly emotional.
What Does “Good Wishes” Mean?
Good wishes is also a legitimate expression.
It simply refers to positive or kind hopes directed toward someone.
For example:
Please accept our good wishes for the coming year.
She sent her good wishes to the newly married couple.
We extend our good wishes to everyone beginning the program.
The expression may sound a little more traditional than best wishes. That’s not necessarily a weakness. In the right context, a traditional tone can feel appropriate.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of wish itself includes the noun sense of an expressed desire and gives examples involving good wishes.
Well Wishes vs. Good Wishes
The comparison between well wishes and good wishes is especially interesting because the meanings overlap so heavily.
Similarities
Both can communicate:
- Goodwill
- Support
- Positive intentions
- Hope for someone’s future
- Concern for someone’s well-being
- Encouragement
For example:
Sending good wishes to your family.
and:
Sending well wishes to your family.
Both sentences communicate warmth and support.
Differences
The difference is mostly one of usage, emphasis, and tone.
Good wishes has a straightforward adjective-plus-noun structure.
Well wishes is an established expression whose form may initially look unusual to some readers. Grammarphobia notes that the Oxford English Dictionary defines well wishes as an instance of wishing well to someone or something and identifies its formation from well and wish.
That history explains why you shouldn’t treat well wishes as a random grammatical accident.
The practical difference is more useful than the theoretical one:
- Choose well wishes when you want to emphasize goodwill or support.
- Choose good wishes when you want a traditional expression of positive hopes.
- Choose best wishes when you want the most flexible and conventional option.
Well Wishes vs. Best Wishes: Which Sounds More Natural?
For many general situations, best wishes will sound more familiar.
Suppose you’re writing to a colleague who has accepted a new position.
Option 1
Well wishes on your new position.
Option 2
Best wishes on your new position.
The second is generally smoother.
Now imagine someone has publicly announced a difficult recovery:
Thank you for all your well wishes.
Here, well wishes feels entirely natural.
This difference illustrates how collocation and context affect natural English.
Native speakers don’t choose words solely according to dictionary definitions. They also rely on patterns they’ve encountered repeatedly.
A phrase that appears thousands of times in familiar contexts becomes easy and automatic. That’s one reason best wishes can feel more natural even though well wishes is established.
Oxford’s dictionary is especially useful here because it lists best, good, and well among adjectives associated with wishes, while also providing an actual example of “Thanks to all those who sent well wishes.”
So you don’t need to treat the choice as a grammar test. Think of it as a style and context decision.
When Should You Use “Well Wishes”?
Well wishes work best when the situation involves genuine goodwill, encouragement, or concern for another person’s well-being.
Recovery and Health
This is one of the clearest uses.
Thank you for all your well wishes while I recover.
The hospital received hundreds of well wishes from the community.
Here, well naturally connects with the idea of being healthy or recovering.
If the message is specifically about illness, you can also use:
Get well soon.
or:
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
These alternatives are more direct.
Difficult Situations
You can use well wishes when someone is going through a challenging period.
We’re sending our well wishes to everyone affected by the storm.
The community shared well wishes with the affected families.
In these cases, the phrase expresses support without making assumptions about exactly what the recipient needs.
New Beginnings
The expression also works for major life transitions.
Sending well wishes as you begin your new chapter.
Our team sends its well wishes as you start your new role.
Here, well wishes means positive hopes rather than medical concern.
Public Messages
Social media and public announcements often use well wishes because the phrase can address a large audience without sounding overly specific.
For example:
Sending well wishes to everyone celebrating this milestone.
That wording is warm, brief, and flexible.
When Should You Use “Best Wishes”?
Best wishes is often the better choice when you need a phrase that can work almost anywhere.
It’s especially useful for:
- Professional emails
- Farewell messages
- Graduation cards
- Retirement announcements
- New jobs
- Promotions
- Weddings
- Birthdays
- General correspondence
Consider a manager writing to an employee:
Best wishes for continued success in your new role.
That sentence sounds polished without being stiff.
Now consider a friend writing to another friend:
Best wishes on your big move!
That works too.
This flexibility gives best wishes a major practical advantage.
You don’t have to worry much about whether the phrase is too casual, too formal, too emotional, or too specific.
When Should You Use “Good Wishes”?
Good wishes works when you want a sincere expression of goodwill, especially in wording that has a slightly traditional flavor.
For example:
We extend our good wishes to the entire graduating class.
That sounds more ceremonial than:
Sending well wishes to the graduating class.
Neither is inherently wrong. They’re simply styled differently.
You may encounter good wishes in formal announcements, ceremonial language, traditional correspondence, or writing that deliberately uses a more established tone.
A Practical Tone Comparison
If you’re unsure which phrase to choose, this table can make the decision easier:
| Phrase | Warmth | Formality | Flexibility | Best fit |
| Well wishes | High | Medium | High | Support and goodwill |
| Best wishes | Medium | Medium-High | Very high | Almost any occasion |
| Good wishes | Medium | Medium-High | High | Traditional or formal messages |
These categories aren’t rigid grammar rules. They’re practical style guidelines.
Your relationship with the recipient matters too.
A message to your best friend doesn’t need the same wording as a message to your company’s CEO.
The Grammar Behind the Three Expressions
The grammar becomes clearer when you examine the word wish itself.
Oxford defines wish as a noun that can refer to an expression of hope for another person’s happiness, well-being, or success. Its examples include good wishes, best wishes, and well wishes.
The verb also has a specific construction:
We wish them well.
Oxford gives examples such as “We wish them both well in their retirement” and “We wish him a speedy recovery.”
From there, English provides several noun expressions:
good wishes
best wishes
well wishes
The third may feel less transparent at first, but it has a documented history.
This is an excellent example of why English grammar can’t always be reduced to a single classroom formula.
Why “Well Wishes” Is Not Simply a Grammar Mistake
A common argument goes like this:
- Well is an adverb.
- Wishes is a noun.
- Adverbs don’t normally modify nouns.
- Therefore, well wishes must be incorrect.
The problem is that the argument stops before considering lexicalized expressions and historical usage.
English contains many expressions whose structure doesn’t behave exactly like a freshly constructed adjective-plus-noun phrase.
More importantly, authoritative references recognize well-wish as a noun. Merriam-Webster defines it as a “good or kindly wish” and records its first known use in 1595.
Grammarphobia’s review of the Oxford English Dictionary reaches the same practical conclusion: well wishes is a standard expression, although it has historically been less common than good wishes and best wishes.
So the better question isn’t:
Is this phrase grammatically impossible?
It’s:
Does this established expression fit the context?
That question leads to much better writing.
Well Wishes, Well-Wishing, and Well-Wisher
These related terms are easy to confuse.
Well Wishes
Well wishes refers to the positive thoughts or goodwill themselves.
She received hundreds of well wishes.
Well-Wishing
Well-wishing refers to the act of wishing someone well.
Merriam-Webster defines well-wishing as “the act of one who wishes well to another” and records its first known use as 1562.
Example:
The ceremony was filled with well-wishing.
Well-Wisher
A well-wisher is a person who wishes another person well.
Merriam-Webster defines well-wisher as someone who wishes well to another person, while Oxford defines it as someone who wants to show support and wants another person to be happy or successful.
Example:
Hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside the venue.
These three terms form a useful semantic family:
well wishes → the goodwill
well-wishing → the act of expressing goodwill
well-wisher → the person expressing goodwill
That distinction can help you avoid awkward wording.
A Useful Rule for Choosing Between Them
When you need a quick answer, use this simple framework: Choose “well wishes” when the message centers on support, goodwill, or someone’s well-being.Choose “best wishes” when you need a broadly accepted phrase for a card, email, farewell, congratulations, or professional message.Choose “good wishes” when a traditional or slightly formal tone suits your writing.Choose “get well soon” when illness or recovery is specifically involved.Choose “good luck” when someone is facing a particular challenge.Choose “thinking of you” when emotional support matters more than a formal expression of goodwill.
This approach works better than memorizing a rigid rule because it focuses on meaning and audience.
Common Examples Compared Side by Side
| Situation | Natural choice | Why |
| Someone is recovering from surgery | Well wishes | Emphasizes support and well-being |
| Someone starts a new job | Best wishes | Conventional and broadly appropriate |
| Someone has an important interview | Good luck | Directly addresses the challenge |
| Someone is grieving | Thinking of you | More emotionally specific |
| Someone retires | Best wishes | Standard for a major transition |
| Someone graduates | Best wishes or well wishes | Both can express positive hopes |
| Someone is seriously ill | Get well soon or well wishes | Both can work, depending on tone |
| Formal business correspondence | Best wishes | Familiar and professional |
| Warm personal card | Warm wishes | More affectionate |
| Traditional announcement | Good wishes | Ceremonial and sincere |
The Historical Perspective Matters
It’s tempting to assume that well wishes must be modern because the expression appears frequently in online communication today.
The historical record tells a different story.
Merriam-Webster dates well-wish to 1595, while well-wisher goes back to around 1576 and well-wishing to 1562.
Grammarphobia’s examination of historical usage likewise reports that well wishes, good wishes, and best wishes were all recorded in the late sixteenth century.
That doesn’t mean all three expressions have always been equally popular.
In fact, Grammarphobia notes that well wishes has remained the less common option compared with good wishes and best wishes.
This gives us a much more accurate linguistic picture:
Old expression + lower historical frequency + modern visibility = not necessarily a new phrase.
Digital communication may have made the expression more noticeable, but it didn’t invent it.
The Bottom Line on “Well Wishes” vs. “Best Wishes” vs. “Good Wishes”
There isn’t one winner for every situation.
Well wishes is correct and established. It works especially well when you’re expressing support, kindness, or hopes for someone’s well-being.
Best wishes is usually the safest all-purpose choice. It’s familiar, flexible, and appropriate across a remarkably wide range of personal and professional situations.
Good wishes is also correct and can provide a more traditional tone.
The most important point is that frequency and correctness aren’t identical. A phrase can be less common without being wrong. The evidence from Merriam-Webster and Oxford supports the status of well-wish and well wishes in English, while actual usage shows that best wishes remains the more familiar choice in many contexts.
So if you’re writing “Thank you for your well wishes,” you don’t need to delete it in a panic. It’s a legitimate expression.
If you’re closing a formal business email, however, “Best wishes” may sound more natural.
And if you’re comforting someone who is grieving, neither phrase may be as effective as “Thinking of you.”
Good writing isn’t about forcing every situation into one grammatical mold. It’s about choosing the words that carry the right meaning, tone, and emotional weight.
When Should You Use “Well Wishes”?
The easiest way to understand well wishes is to focus on its purpose. You use it when you want to express positive thoughts toward someone, especially when that person is facing a significant event, transition, challenge, or period of recovery.
Personal Messages
In personal communication, well wishes can sound warm and thoughtful without becoming overly emotional.
For example:
Thank you for all your well wishes.
This sentence works especially well when several people have contacted someone with messages of support. It doesn’t force the writer to describe every message individually.
You could also say:
Sending you my well wishes as you begin your new chapter.
Please give my well wishes to your family.
We’re sending our well wishes your way.
The phrase can work between friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances.
However, there’s a small stylistic point worth remembering. Personal communication often sounds better when the wording matches the relationship.
For a close friend, this might feel warmer:
I’m thinking of you and hoping everything gets better soon.
For a more distant acquaintance:
Sending my well wishes during this difficult time.
Both communicate care, but they don’t carry the same emotional weight.
Greeting Cards
Greeting cards often use short expressions of goodwill because the message needs to be warm without becoming a full letter.
Well wishes can work for:
- Recovery cards
- Retirement cards
- Graduation cards
- Congratulations cards
- Farewell cards
- New-home cards
- New-job cards
- General encouragement
For example:
Sending well wishes for a happy and successful future.
Or:
Our well wishes are with you as you begin this exciting new chapter.
That said, best wishes and warm wishes are often more conventional in greeting cards.
Consider these three versions:
Well wishes on your retirement.
Best wishes on your retirement.
Warm wishes on your retirement.
All three are understandable. The second is the most broadly conventional, while the third adds a warmer personal touch.
Farewell Messages
Farewell messages provide another strong use for well wishes.
When someone leaves a job, school, neighborhood, or community, you’re often wishing them success in whatever comes next.
For example:
We send our well wishes as you move on to your next adventure.
Everyone shared their well wishes before she left the company.
Please accept our well wishes for your future success.
The phrase is especially useful when several people are expressing support collectively.
Still, best wishes may sound more natural in a formal workplace farewell:
Best wishes for continued success in your new role.
That version feels polished without becoming cold.
Congratulations and New Beginnings
You can use well wishes for many positive life transitions.
These include:
- Graduation
- Marriage
- A new job
- A promotion
- Retirement
- Moving to a new city
- Starting a business
- Beginning college
- Entering a new career
- Starting a new chapter
For instance:
Sending well wishes to the graduates as they begin their next chapter.
Or:
We extend our well wishes as you begin your new career.
The expression works because it doesn’t specify exactly what you hope will happen. It simply communicates positive intentions toward the person.
For more direct congratulations, however, use congratulations first:
Congratulations on your promotion! Wishing you continued success.
That sounds more natural than trying to make well wishes carry the entire message.
Recovery and Health
Health-related situations are probably the context most strongly associated with well wishes.
For example:
Thank you for all your well wishes during my recovery.
This is a very natural construction.
You can also write:
We’re sending our well wishes for a speedy recovery.
The community sent well wishes to the injured player.
She appreciated everyone’s well wishes while she was recovering.
Here, well wishes communicates concern and encouragement.
However, don’t confuse it with get-well wishes.
Well wishes has a broad meaning.
Get well wishes specifically relates to illness or recovery.
And get well soon is a direct expression addressed to someone who is sick.
Compare:
| Expression | Meaning |
| Well wishes | General goodwill or supportive thoughts |
| Get well wishes | Wishes specifically connected with recovery |
| Get well soon | A direct hope that someone recovers quickly |
| Wishing you a speedy recovery | A clear, polished recovery message |
This distinction becomes particularly useful when writing cards or professional announcements.
Situations Where “Well Wishes” May Not Be the Best Choice
Being grammatically correct doesn’t mean a phrase is ideal in every situation.
Well wishes can sometimes feel too broad, too formal, or emotionally vague. Choosing a more specific expression can make your writing sound much more natural.
Professional Communication
Professional communication requires careful attention to tone.
You can absolutely use well wishes at work, but best wishes often feels more conventional.
Compare:
Well wishes on your new position.
with:
Best wishes on your new position.
The second sentence sounds more familiar in a professional setting.
For a colleague you know well, though, this can work:
Sending you well wishes as you start your new role!
The exclamation mark and conversational wording make the message feel friendlier.
For a formal executive announcement, a more polished option might be:
We wish her continued success in her new role.
Notice what happens here. Instead of forcing a noun phrase into the sentence, you simply use the verb wish.
That’s often the cleanest solution.
Formal Writing
Formal writing favors precision.
If you’re preparing an official statement, institutional announcement, or formal letter, ask whether well wishes adds anything useful.
For example:
The organization received many well wishes following the announcement.
This is understandable.
But:
The organization received numerous messages of support following the announcement.
may be more precise if the messages were specifically expressions of support.
Likewise:
We extend our best wishes for your continued success.
often sounds more polished than:
We extend our well wishes for your continued success.
This isn’t a grammar rule. It’s a register choice.
Sympathy Messages
Sympathy messages require special care because emotional context matters.
If someone has lost a loved one, saying:
Sending well wishes.
may sound too generic.
It doesn’t necessarily communicate an understanding of grief.
A more appropriate message might be:
Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
Or:
I’m so sorry for your loss. Wishing you comfort and strength in the days ahead.
These expressions directly acknowledge the emotional situation.
You can still use well wishes in some circumstances, but it shouldn’t become a substitute for genuine empathy.
Think of it this way: if the situation is emotionally specific, your language should usually be specific too.
Medical Recovery Messages
Medical situations create another interesting distinction.
For a minor illness, you might write:
Hope you feel better soon!
For a serious recovery:
Wishing you strength and a smooth recovery.
For a general supportive message:
Sending well wishes during your recovery.
All three can work, but they create different impressions.
Get well soon sounds direct and familiar.
Well wishes sounds broader and slightly more formal.
Wishing you a smooth recovery sounds specific and polished.
Choose according to your relationship with the recipient and the seriousness of the situation.
Examples of “Well Wishes” Used Correctly
Seeing the phrase in complete sentences is one of the easiest ways to understand its natural use.
Everyday Conversation Examples
Here are some practical examples:
Thanks for all the well wishes.
Please send my well wishes to your parents.
Everyone is sending well wishes after hearing the news.
I really appreciate your well wishes and support.
She received plenty of well wishes from her friends.
We’re sending well wishes your way.
These examples demonstrate several common patterns.
Common Verb + “Well Wishes” Combinations
Certain verbs pair naturally with the expression:
| Verb | Example |
| send | We send our well wishes. |
| offer | They offered their well wishes. |
| extend | We extend our well wishes. |
| share | Friends shared their well wishes. |
| receive | She received many well wishes. |
| express | He expressed his well wishes. |
| appreciate | I appreciate your well wishes. |
These patterns make sentence construction easier.
For instance:
Thank you for your well wishes and support.
This is one of the most useful templates because it works in both personal and professional contexts.
Card Message Examples
For a card, you could write:
Sending you well wishes for happiness and success in your new chapter.
Our well wishes are with you as you begin this exciting journey.
Warm well wishes on your retirement.
However, don’t assume you must use well wishes simply because you’re writing a card.
Sometimes a simpler expression sounds better:
Wishing you all the best in your retirement.
That’s concise, natural, and widely understood.
Email and Text Message Examples
Digital messages usually benefit from shorter wording.
For example:
Thanks for the well wishes!
Sending well wishes to everyone affected.
I appreciate all the well wishes.
Please pass along my well wishes.
For a professional email, you might write:
Thank you for your kind message and well wishes.
That sounds courteous without becoming excessively formal.
Workplace Examples
Imagine a colleague leaving after ten years with a company.
A team message could say:
The whole team sends our well wishes as you begin your next chapter.
A more conventional farewell could say:
We wish you continued success in your new role.
Both are perfectly serviceable. The second simply uses a more direct grammatical structure.
Common Mistakes People Make With “Well Wishes”
Most problems with well wishes don’t involve basic grammar. They involve meaning, context, spelling, or word choice.
Confusing “Well Wishes” With “Get Well Wishes”
This is probably the most common semantic misunderstanding.
Someone may assume that well wishes always means wishes for good health.
That’s too narrow.
Consider:
The company sent well wishes to its retiring CEO.
Clearly, nobody is saying the CEO needs medical treatment.
Here, well wishes means goodwill and positive hopes.
By contrast:
The children sent get-well wishes to their teacher.
The second phrase directly signals illness or recovery.
The distinction is simple:
well wishes = broad goodwill
get well wishes = health-related goodwill
Using It in the Wrong Context
Even a correct expression can sound strange when it doesn’t match the situation.
For example:
The contract contains well wishes from the company.
That would sound unusual because contracts generally state legal obligations rather than personal sentiments.
A better sentence might be:
The accompanying letter expresses the company’s best wishes.
Or:
The company included a message of support.
The lesson is straightforward: don’t judge an expression separately from the sentence around it.
Overly Formal vs. Casual Usage
Another mistake is using a phrase that doesn’t match the relationship.
Consider:
Please accept my well wishes during this challenging period.
That can sound appropriate in a formal setting.
But if you’re texting your best friend, it may sound strangely ceremonial.
You’d probably say:
I’m thinking of you. Hope things get better soon.
Conversely, writing:
Hey, good luck with everything!
in a formal corporate announcement may feel too casual.
Good writing considers the relationship, setting, purpose, and emotional situation.
Better Alternatives to “Well Wishes”
Sometimes well wishes isn’t the most precise expression. English gives you plenty of alternatives.
Best Wishes
Best wishes is probably the most versatile replacement.
Use it for:
- Farewells
- New jobs
- Graduations
- Retirement
- Weddings
- Cards
- Professional correspondence
- General future hopes
Example:
Best wishes for continued success.
It’s hard to go wrong with that wording.
Good Wishes
Good wishes expresses positive hopes and can sound somewhat traditional.
We send our good wishes to the entire team.
It’s a useful alternative when you want a straightforward goodwill expression.Warm Wishes Warm wishes carries more emotional warmth.Warm wishes as you begin your new journey.
This works especially well in cards and personal correspondence.
Kind Regards
Kind regards serves a different grammatical purpose.
It’s primarily an email or letter closing:
Kind regards,
Taylor
It shouldn’t replace well wishes when you’re specifically talking about positive thoughts or hopes.
However, it can be a better choice when you simply need a professional sign-off.
Good Luck
Good luck is more specific than well wishes.
Use it when someone is about to face a challenge:Good luck with your interview tomorrow!Good luck on your exam!Good luck with the new business!
It focuses on the upcoming event rather than general goodwill.
Get Well Soon
For illness, get well soon is direct and familiar.
Get well soon! We’re all thinking of you.
It isn’t a substitute for well wishes in every situation because its meaning is narrower. Thinking of YouThinking of you works particularly well during difficult situations.Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
It can sound more personal than well wishes, especially when someone is grieving or dealing with hardship.
A Simple Decision Guide
When you’re unsure which expression to use, ask yourself one question:
What exactly am I trying to communicate?
If you’re expressing broad goodwill:
Well wishes
If you’re expressing general hopes for someone’s future:
Best wishes
If you’re using a traditional goodwill expression:
Good wishes
If you’re expressing affection:
Warm wishes
If someone faces a challenge:
Good luck
If someone is sick:
Get well soon
If someone is experiencing grief or hardship:
Thinking of you
This approach prevents one of the biggest problems in everyday English: using a technically understandable phrase that doesn’t quite match the emotional situation.
How “Well Wishes” Works in Different Contexts
| Context | “Well wishes” | Better alternative when appropriate |
| Recovery | Excellent | Get well soon |
| New job | Good | Best wishes |
| Graduation | Good | Best wishes |
| Retirement | Good | Best wishes |
| Wedding | Acceptable | Warm wishes |
| Interview | Less natural | Good luck |
| Funeral | Often too general | Thinking of you |
| Professional email | Acceptable | Best wishes |
| Casual text | Natural | Hope everything goes well |
| Public support message | Very natural | Sending support |
This table reveals an important pattern: well wishes isn’t a bad phrase; it’s simply broader than some alternatives.
Why Context Matters More Than a “Correct or Incorrect” Label
Grammar questions often encourage a black-and-white answer.
A phrase is either “right” or “wrong.”
Real English is more nuanced.
Consider these sentences:
Thank you for your well wishes.
Best wishes for your new position.
Get well soon.
Thinking of you during this difficult time.
All four are correct. Yet using any one of them in every situation would make your writing feel repetitive or poorly matched.
Effective communication requires more than grammatical accuracy. You need semantic accuracy too.
That means choosing words that communicate the precise idea you intend. If someone has graduated, get well soon obviously misses the mark.If someone has lost a family member, good luck may sound insensitive.If someone has accepted a new job, well wishes can work, but best wishes may sound more conventional.
The phrase itself doesn’t determine quality. Fit does.
Well Wishes in Modern American English
In contemporary American English, well wishes appears most naturally in supportive and public-facing contexts.
You’ll often encounter constructions such as:
Thanks for all your well wishes.
Sending well wishes.
We appreciate your well wishes.
Our thoughts and well wishes are with you.
These forms work because they compress a larger emotional message into a short phrase.
That’s particularly useful in digital communication, where people often need to respond quickly while still sounding considerate.
The expression also has a recognizable social function. It lets someone acknowledge many supportive messages at once.
Imagine receiving hundreds of comments after an illness or major life event. Saying:
Thank you for all your well wishes.
is much more efficient than describing every individual message.
A Practical Case Study: Choosing the Right Phrase
Imagine three coworkers leaving messages for a colleague named Jordan.
Situation 1: Jordan is recovering from surgery
A natural message:
We’re sending our well wishes for a smooth recovery.
Another option:
Get well soon, Jordan!
Both work, but the first sounds slightly more formal.
Situation 2: Jordan accepted a new job
A natural message:
Best wishes in your new role, Jordan!
You could also say:
Sending well wishes as you begin your new position.
The second works, but the first is more conventional.
Situation 3: Jordan lost a parent
A better message would be:
Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time, Jordan.
Here, well wishes may feel too generic.
This small case study shows why context matters so much. The grammar doesn’t change. The emotional purpose changes.
The Most Natural Sentence Patterns to Remember
If you want to use well wishes confidently, these structures are especially useful:
Thank you for your well wishes.
Thank you for all the well wishes.
Sending you well wishes.
Sending my well wishes to you and your family.
We send our well wishes.
Please accept our well wishes.
She received many well wishes.
He appreciated everyone’s well wishes.
These patterns sound natural because they place the phrase in contexts where English speakers commonly discuss expressions of goodwill.
When in doubt, don’t create an elaborate sentence around the phrase. Keep it simple.
Final Takeaway for Choosing “Well Wishes”
Well wishes are appropriate when you want to express kindness, goodwill, encouragement, or positive thoughts toward someone. It can refer to health, but its meaning reaches well beyond medical recovery.
Use it naturally in phrases such as “thank you for your well wishes,” “sending well wishes,” and “we appreciate your well wishes.”
The important point is simple: don’t ask only whether “well wishes” is correct. Ask whether it says exactly what you want to say. That small shift in thinking will make your English sound more natural, purposeful, and confident.
Dictionary Definitions Related to “Wish” and “Wishes”
The noun wish has several meanings in English, but one important sense involves expressing a desire or hope for someone else’s happiness, success, health, or well-being.
That meaning appears in familiar expressions such as:
- best wishes
- good wishes
- well wishes
- birthday wishes
- wishes for success
- wishes for a speedy recovery
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries describes wishes as a plural noun used in letters, emails, and cards to express hopes that someone will be happy, well, or successful. Its examples include expressions involving best wishes, good wishes, and well wishes.
This matters because dictionary entries don’t merely tell you what a word means. They also reveal how English speakers actually use that word.
The evidence therefore supports a practical conclusion: well wishes is an established expression in English, even though its frequency and preferred contexts differ from those of best wishes.
“Well-Wish” as a Noun
The structure becomes easier to understand when you look at well-wish rather than treating well and wish as unrelated words.
Merriam-Webster defines well-wish as a noun meaning a good or kindly wish. That means well-wish functions as an established compound noun.
Its plural form is:
well-wishes
You may also encounter the expression written as:
well wishes
Both forms appear in English usage, although style preferences can vary depending on the dictionary, publication, or editorial system being followed.
The important point is that the expression isn’t created from scratch every time someone writes it. English has incorporated well-wishes into its vocabulary.
Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Grammar Views
The debate over well wishes also demonstrates the difference between descriptive grammar and prescriptive grammar.
Prescriptive grammar focuses on rules about how language should be used. Descriptive grammar examines how speakers and writers actually use language.
A prescriptive approach might question the construction because well is commonly taught as an adverb:
She sings well.
Meanwhile, good is commonly taught as an adjective:
She is a good singer.
That distinction is useful, but it doesn’t mean well can never participate in a noun expression.
English contains many lexicalized compounds and fixed expressions whose structure doesn’t behave like a basic classroom example.
A descriptive approach therefore asks a different question:
Do competent English speakers actually use “well-wish” and “well wishes”?
The answer is yes.
Historical dictionaries and modern reference works document the expression. That doesn’t mean well wishes is always the preferred choice. It means that calling it categorically ungrammatical goes too far.
What English Usage Experts Say
Usage experts generally distinguish between correctness and naturalness.
A phrase may be grammatically established while still being less common than another phrase with a similar meaning.
That’s exactly what happens with well wishes and best wishes.
Best wishes has become a highly familiar expression, particularly in correspondence. It works as both a general goodwill phrase and a conventional closing.
Well wishes, by contrast, often appears when people talk about supportive thoughts directed toward someone.
For example:
Thank you for your well wishes.
This sentence sounds especially natural after someone has received messages during an illness, difficult period, or significant life event.
By comparison:
Best wishes for your recovery.
Also works, but it carries a somewhat different feel.
Neither expression needs to be declared the universal winner.
The more accurate approach is to recognize usage frequency, collocation, register, and context.
Common Myths About “Well Wishes”
Several myths surround the phrase well wishes, largely because people compare it with more familiar expressions such as best wishes.
These myths become easier to resolve once you separate grammar from style.
Myth: “Well Wishes” Is Grammatically Incorrect
This is the biggest misconception.
The claim usually comes from the assumption that well can only function as an adverb.
That’s not enough evidence to reject the expression.
Merriam-Webster recognizes well-wish as a noun and gives it a history dating back to the sixteenth century. Oxford also records well wishes in its dictionary material.
So the accurate answer is:
“Well wishes” is a valid English expression.
You might prefer best wishes in certain situations, but preference isn’t the same thing as grammatical correctness.
Myth: Native Speakers Never Use It
Native speakers absolutely use well wishes.
You can find it in everyday sentences such as:
Thanks for all your well wishes.
She appreciated everyone’s well wishes.
The family received thousands of well wishes.
We’re sending our well wishes.
The expression is particularly common when people acknowledge messages of support.
The misconception may come from personal exposure. If you’ve mostly encountered best wishes in letters and cards, well wishes can seem unfamiliar.
But unfamiliarity isn’t evidence of incorrectness.
English contains thousands of expressions that vary in frequency depending on region, age, profession, genre, and context.
Myth: Only “Best Wishes” Is Correct
Best wishes is certainly correct. It isn’t the only correct expression.
You can also say:
- good wishes
- well wishes
- warm wishes
- kind wishes
- birthday wishes
- good luck
- get well soon
- thinking of you
The right expression depends on the message.
For example:
Best wishes for your new job.
Sounds natural.
But:
Thank you for your well wishes during my recovery.
Also sounds natural.
Replacing the second sentence with best wishes would change its function rather than simply “correcting” it.
Myth: “Well Wishes” Should Only Refer to Health
The word well can make people associate the expression exclusively with physical health.
That’s too restrictive.
Well wishes can refer to many kinds of goodwill.
For example:
The community sent well wishes to the graduating students.
Nobody is necessarily sick.
The phrase simply communicates positive thoughts toward the students.
You can also use it for:
- Career changes
- Retirement
- Relocation
- Graduation
- Personal challenges
- Public events
- New beginnings
- Recovery
- Difficult circumstances
Health is one important context, but it isn’t the entire meaning.
How Digital Communication Has Influenced the Use of “Well Wishes”
Modern communication has changed how people express goodwill.
Traditional letters and greeting cards once provided the main setting for short expressions such as best wishes. Today, people communicate through text messages, email, social media comments, online announcements, workplace platforms, and group chats.
That change has created more opportunities for short, flexible expressions.
Well wishes fitthis environment particularly well because they summarize many supportive messages in only two words.
The Shift From Cards to Electronic Messages
Consider how people respond to a major personal event today.
Someone might post an announcement online. Within minutes, friends, relatives, coworkers, and acquaintances may respond.
Later, the person writes:
Thank you, eeveryonee for your well wishes.
That’s efficient.
The sentence acknowledges dozens or hundreds of individual messages without requiring a detailed response to every person.
The same pattern works in email:
Thank you for your kind message and well wishes.
Or in a workplace announcement:
The team sends its well wishes as she begins her new role.
Digital communication rewards expressions that are short, recognizable, and adaptable.
Social Media and the Spread of “Well Wishes”
Social media has also made collective expressions of goodwill more visible.
People routinely encounter phrases such as:
Sending well wishes.
Our thoughts and well wishes are with the family.
Thank you for all the well wishes.
These phrases can address large groups at once.
There’s another reason they work well online: they don’t require a detailed explanation.
A person might not know exactly what every commenter said. Well wishes provide a convenient umbrella term for supportive comments, prayers, encouragement, congratulations, and positive thoughts.
However, context still matters. In a sensitive situation, a more specific phrase may communicate more effectively.
Expert Insight: Why “Well Wishes” Continues to Survive
The continued use of well wishes makes sense when you consider what language needs to accomplish.
People regularly experience events that call for kindness:
- Someone becomes ill.
- Someone starts a new career.
- Someone retires.
- Someone moves away.
- Someone faces hardship.
- Someone celebrates a milestone.
- Someone begins a new chapter.
A compact expression of goodwill is useful in all these situations.
Well wishes survive because it fills that communicative need.
Its meaning is broad enough to adapt, yet specific enough to signal kindness.
A Real-World Case Study
Imagine a community member recovering from a serious accident.
Friends post supportive comments online. Coworkers send messages. Neighbors organize practical help. Family members receive calls from people who cannot visit.
Afterward, the family posts:
Thank you for all your well wishes and support.
That sentence accomplishes two things.
First, well wishes acknowledges the emotional encouragement.
Second, support covers practical assistance and other forms of help.
Now imagine a different situation.
A coworker announces a promotion:
Thank you for your well wishes on my promotion.
This is grammatically possible, but many writers would probably choose:
Thank you for your congratulations and best wishes.
Why?
Because congratulations directly identifies the positive event, while best wishes naturally expresses hopes for future success.
This illustrates a key principle:
The most natural phrase depends on what the speaker wants to emphasize.
Quick Reference Guide: When to Use Well Wishes
If you need a quick decision while writing, use the following guide.
| Situation | Recommended expression | Reason |
| Someone is recovering | Well wishes | Expresses supportive thoughts |
| Someone is sick | Get well soon | Direct and familiar |
| Someone starts a new job | Best wishes | Conventional and flexible |
| Someone graduates | Best wishes | Natural for future success |
| Someone retires | Best wishes | Standard for a transition |
| Someone faces an exam | Good luck | Directly addresses the challenge |
| Someone is grieving | Thinking of you | More emotionally precise |
| Someone needs general support | Well wishes | Broad and warm |
| Professional email closing | Best wishes | Familiar sign-off |
| Public support message | Well wishes | Concise and inclusive |
The table isn’t a list of rigid grammar rules. Think of it as a usage map. When your purpose is general goodwill, well wishes works.When you want a conventional all-purpose expression, best wishes often wins.When you need precision, choose a phrase that directly names the situation.
Is “Well Wishes” or “Best Wishes” Better?
Neither phrase is universally better.
Instead, each has a slightly different job.
Well wishes emphasizes goodwill, support, and positive thoughts.
Best wishes emphasizes hopes for someone’s happiness, success, or future.
For example:
Thank you for your well wishes during my recovery.
sSoundsnatural because the phrase refers to supportive messages.
Meanwhile:
Best wishes for your future success.
Works because the writer is specifically expressing hopes for what’s ahead.
The distinction may seem tiny, but these small differences are what make English sound natural.
Is “Well Wishes” Formal or Informal?
Well wishes sits in a flexible middle ground.
It isn’t inherently slang or casual. At the same time, it doesn’t sound as ceremonially formal as some traditional expressions.
Its tone depends heavily on the surrounding sentence.
Compare:
Thanks for all the well wishes!
This sounds casual and friendly.
Now compare:
Please accept our sincere well wishes during this difficult period.
That sounds considerably more formal.
The noun phrase hasn’t changed. The surrounding vocabulary has.
This is an important lesson for English learners: register comes from the whole sentence, not always from one expression.
Should You Write “Well Wishes” or “Well-Wishes”?
This is a separate question from whether the expression is correct.
Compound words can appear in different forms depending on how they function and which style guide a publication follows.
You may encounter:
well wishes
and:
well-wishes
You may also see the singular noun:
well-wish
or related forms:
well-wisher
well-wishing
When writing for a particular publication, follow its style guide if it has one.
For ordinary American English, well wishes is widely understandable and commonly seen.
Don’t confuse spelling variation with grammatical error.
Is “Well Wishes” the Same as “Best Wishes”?
No, although the meanings overlap.
Think of them as neighboring expressions rather than exact synonyms.
Well wishes tends to foreground goodwill or well-being.
Best wishes tends to function as a broad expression of positive hopes.
For example:
She received hundreds of well wishes after the announcement.
Here, the focus is on the supportive messages she received.
Compare:
Best wishes as you begin your new career.
Here, the focus is on hoping for a successful future.
The difference isn’t absolute. Native speakers may use the expressions interchangeably in some contexts.
Can You Say “Send My Well Wishes”?
Yes.
Send my well wishes is grammatically understandable and can sound natural depending on the context.
For example:
Please send my well wishes to your family.
You can also say:
Please give my well wishes to everyone.
Or:
Send her my well wishes.
However, send my best wishes is often more conventional when you’re talking about a general future event:
Please send my best wishes to the team.
If you’re expressing support during a difficult situation:
Please send my well wishes to her while she recovers.
works particularly well.
Can You Say “Thank You for Your Well Wishes”?
Yes. In fact, this is one of the most natural and useful constructions involving well wishes.
Thank you for your well wishes.
You can make it warmer:
Thank you so much for all your well wishes.
Or more specific:
Thank you for your kind well wishes during my recovery.
The expression is especially effective when responding collectively to multiple messages.
You don’t need to overcomplicate the sentence. A short, sincere response often feels more genuine.
Can You Say “Best Well Wishes”?
This combination is generally unnecessary.
Best wishes already contains the conventional expression.
Likewise, well wishes already communicates goodwill.
Using both together can sound redundant:
Sending my best well wishes.
A cleaner choice is usually:
Sending my best wishes.
or:
Sending my well wishes.
If you want stronger warmth, you can say:
Sending my warmest wishes.
That gives you a clear expression without stacking similar words.
Common Sentence Patterns With “Well Wishes”
Learning useful patterns can be more valuable than memorizing an abstract grammar rule.
To Thank Someone
Thank you for your well wishes.
Thank you for all your well wishes and support.
To Express Support
Sending you my well wishes.
We’re sending our well wishes to you and your family.
To Acknowledge a Group
She received many well wishes from friends and colleagues.
The family received an outpouring of well wishes.
To Connect the Phrase With an Event
We send our well wishes as you begin your new chapter.
Please accept our well wishes for a successful future.
These structures are flexible enough to adapt to many circumstances.
Final Grammar Check: Is “Well Wishes” Correct?
Yes. “Well wishes” is a correct and established English expression.
It has historical documentation, dictionary recognition, and modern usage.
The real question is not whether the phrase passes a simplistic grammar test. The better question is whether it fits your meaning, audience, tone, and situation.
If you’re writing about illness, get well soon or wishing you a speedy recovery may be more precise. If someone is grieving, thinking of you can communicate empathy more effectively.
In other words, well wishes isn’t wrong simply because another expression sounds more familiar. English has room for both.
The strongest writers don’t chase one supposedly perfect phrase. They choose the expression that fits the moment.
Conclusion
Yes, “well wishes” is correct English and has a long history of established usage. While best wishes may sound more familiar in many everyday and professional situations, that doesn’t make well wishes incorrect. The phrase works especially well when you want to express kindness, support, encouragement, or concern for someone’s well-being. You might use it when thanking people for their support during a recovery, acknowledging thoughtful messages, or sending positive thoughts during an important life event. The key is context. If you’re congratulating someone, best wishes may sound more natural, while get well soon can be clearer for illness. For difficult personal situations, thinking of you may feel more compassionate. Ultimately, choosing between these expressions depends on the message, relationship, and tone you want to create. Well wishes remain a perfectly acceptable and meaningful choice when it fits the situation.
FAQs
Is “well wishes” grammatically correct?
Yes, “well wishes” is grammatically correct and recognized as an established English expression. It refers to kind thoughts, goodwill, or positive hopes for someone. Although best wishes is often more common, frequency doesn’t determine grammatical correctness. You can confidently use well wishes when the context calls for supportive or encouraging language.
What does “well wishes” mean?
Well wishes means kind or positive thoughts expressed toward another person. The phrase can communicate goodwill, encouragement, support, or hopes for someone’s well-being. Although people often associate it with illness or recovery, it isn’t limited to health. You can also use it for new beginnings, difficult situations, farewells, and other meaningful life events.
Is “well wishes” the same as “best wishes”?
Well wishes and best wishes have similar meanings, but they aren’t always interchangeable. Well wishes often eemphasizesupport, goodwill, or someone’s well-being. Best wishes is broader and commonly expresses hopes for happiness, success, or a positive future. Both are correct, but best wishes is generally the more familiar all-purpose expression.
Can I say “thank you for your well wishes”?
Yes, “thank you for your well wishes” is a natural and widely understood expression. People commonly use it when acknowledging supportive messages from friends, relatives, coworkers, or a wider community. It works particularly well after illness, difficult circumstances, or major personal events. You can also say, “Thank you for all your well wishes.”
Is “well wishes” only used for sick people?
No, well wishes isn’t limited to health or recovery. It can express goodwill during many situations, including graduations, farewells, career changes, retirement, new beginnings, and challenging periods. However, when someone is specifically ill, phrases such as get well soon or wishing you a speedy recovery can communicate the intended meaning more directly.
Should I use “well wishes” or “best wishes”?
Choose based on the situation. Best wishes is usually the safer choice for professional emails, congratulations, farewells, and general messages about someone’s future. Well wishes works particularly well when you’re expressing support or goodwill. Neither phrase is wrong. Consider the recipient, setting, and emotional context before choosing the expression.
Is “good wishes” correct English?
Yes, good wishes is also correct English. It refers to positive hopes or goodwill toward someone and has a somewhat traditional tone. You can use it in formal statements, personal messages, or general expressions of support. In modern everyday communication, however, best wishes is often more familiar and natural to many English speakers.
Can I use “well wishes” in a professional email?
Yes, but best wishes may sound more conventional in many professional emails. Well wishes can work when you’re expressing support for a colleague’s recovery, transition, or personal situation. For example, “Thank you for your well wishes” sounds perfectly appropriate. Always consider the relationship and level of formality when selecting your wording.
Is “well wishes” appropriate for a sympathy message?
Well wishes can express kindness, but it may sound too general for a sympathy message. When someone is grieving, more personal wording such as “Thinking of you and your family” or “I’m sorry for your loss” often feels more compassionate. The best expression acknowledges the emotional situation instead of relying on a generic phrase.
What is a better alternative to “well wishes”?
The best alternative depends on your purpose. Best wishes works well for general situations and professional communication. Get well soon suits illness, while good luck fits upcoming challenges. Warm wishes adds affection, and thinking of you works well during difficult circumstances. Choose the phrase that most accurately matches your intended message.