wellspring

noun

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

Examples of wellspring in a Sentence

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 In Ukraine, culture has been a wellspring of unity and resilience in fending off Russian aggression. Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Affairs, 29 Feb. 2024 Rather than continuing with that piece, Ella wants to do something of her own — moving into a new apartment/studio for that purpose, then finding a convenient wellspring of inspiration in a mysterious little girl next door (Caoilinn Springall). Dennis Harvey, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 California already has been a popular fundraising destination for Biden, given the state is a Democratic stronghold and offers wellsprings of financial support in Silicon Valley and the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Amid the wellspring of heartwarming student-teacher tales where educators often shepherd their scholars (think 1989's Dead Poets Society or 2017's The Edge of Seventeen), Half Nelson flips the script. James Mercadante, Ilana Gordon, EW.com, 22 Sep. 2023 Denverites’ decision five years ago to bump up the city’s sales tax rate, creating a wellspring of funding for parks, is finally ready to bear fruit — in the form of grass, gardens or other greenery — in neighborhoods across the city. Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2024 Chickasaws and Choctaws, who shared the southern third of the territory, thrived in this region, basking in the same wellspring of healing, sulphur-rich waters as the Woodland Indians who preceded them. Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2023 Hill shouted out her hometown often and cheerily, name-checking Newark totems such as Essex County and her alma mater, Columbia High School, with a wellspring of homespun nostalgia that prompted her to welcome several area high schoolers to play as part of her band. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 18 Oct. 2023 Given this wellspring of vomitus summer fun, here are our picks for the top five public health advisories bobbing in the waters this summer. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 23 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wellspring.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 29 Mar. 2024.

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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