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to do well

520 1.2
Be successful or have good results in something
  • phrasal verb
  • /duː wɛl/
translation icon : ir bien
  • She has been studying hard, so I am confident she will do well on her exams.
  • do well in school
  • do well on tests
  • do well academically

Because I would not do well at that stuff.

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Examples

  • The Russian economy is doing well today, but it is doing well in spite of, not because of, autocracy.

    Academic text (2008)
  • And secondly, if students are going to do well, they deserve attention.

  • It's actually very hard to do well if you want to.

  • But instead, he will do well tomorrow, I think.

  • I am comfortable with my ability to do well in a career related to my major.

    Academic text (2015)
  • I mean, Microsoft has done well with with Bill leaving, right?

  • Both home and school must be strong advocates and believe that children can do well in mathematics.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I guess I'm okay now; I'm doing well in school; I'm in the highest reading group.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Their confidence in themselves as learners and their motivation to do well grow along with their rising achievement.

    Academic text (2013)
  • People with this viewpoint do well with reaching performance goals, such as grades.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

to succeed
vsto do well
846 2.0

To reach a goal after trying hard

means performing satisfactorily even if the main goal is not reached

Antonyms

898 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

466 3.2

A hard effort to do or finish something difficult

How Well

to thrive
241 3.2
to excel
58 3.7
to do well
520 1.2
to manage
3.2
struggle
466 3.2

Surface Forms

do well infinitive
did well past
done well past participle
doing well present participle
does well third person singular

Morphology

do + well

The meaning 'to perform satisfactorily or be successful' is directly and transparently composed from 'do' (to perform/manage) + 'well' (in a satisfactory or skillful manner). This is a common, literal verb + adverb construction found across many languages and thus easily predictable for a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Do well comes from the plain idea of do plus well, meaning to do something in a good way. Think of a student who studies hard and then does well on an exam, earning praise; that's why the phrase means 'to perform successfully'.