wellspring

noun

well·​spring ˈwel-ˌspriŋ How to pronounce wellspring (audio)
: a source of continual supply
a wellspring of information

Example Sentences

The tour guide was a wellspring of information. the nation's colleges and universities were a wellspring for political activism and unrest
Recent Examples on the Web At the start of the COVID outbreak, Lips felt another wellspring of hope burble up in her chest. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2022 For Martin, the author, the Anarchy does not serve to establish historical fact but is instead a wellspring for his creative vision. David Routt, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Oct. 2022 His Twitter feed is a wellspring of nationalist outrage, with posts documenting alleged attacks by immigrants or capitulations to foreigners, like signs posted in Arabic rather than Turkish. Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2022 Record heatwaves, a Russian war in Ukraine, melting ice caps and election conspiracies vie for the top spot on news homepages every morning, and every element of every story offers a potential wellspring of discord and heartbreak. Holly Thomas, CNN, 10 Sep. 2022 Some aid helped some people, but there’s no reason that should translate into a wellspring of support for the party. Daniel Henninger, WSJ, 27 Apr. 2022 From celebrities and politicians to fellow royals from around the globe, the outpourings of grief and fond remembrances of Her Majesty have been a wellspring of affection for the late monarch. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 9 Sep. 2022 The levels of poverty here is what makes the area such a wellspring for ISIS and Al Qaeda recruits. Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2022 But haste and carelessness in crafting the aid created a wellspring for fraud and waste - a mess that hundreds of federal investigators are still trying to clean up. Lisa Rein And Yeganeh Torbati, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wellspring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wellspring was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wellspring

Cite this Entry

“Wellspring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wellspring. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Kids Definition

wellspring

noun
well·​spring ˈwel-ˌspriŋ How to pronounce wellspring (audio)
1
: a source of continual supply
2

More from Merriam-Webster on wellspring

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