well-to-do

[wel-tuh-doo]

adjective

1. prosperous; rich.

   Synonyms: moneyed, affluent, comfortable

well-to-do

adjective

1. moderately wealthy

Word History and Origins

Origin of well-to-do¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

Peggy’s family, the Scotts, are a well-to-do pillar of Brooklyn’s Black community headed by a formerly enslaved man who became a pharmacist and built his upper-middle-class family’s wealth from the ground up.

From Salon

"We need a system that ensures access for the poor and prevents misuse by the well-to-do."

From BBC

Under the current system, the president says, judges routinely spring organized crime figures, tax cheats and other well-to-do criminals, while impunity for murder and other crimes is the norm.

From Los Angeles Times

In effect, Kennedy isn't banning the vaccine — he's just making sure that only well-to-do people like himself have access.

From Salon

Fender’s also made waves with his comments regarding the class dynamics of a music industry he believes is “rigged” in favor of the well-to-do.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affluent 
• moneyed 
• prosperous 
• wealthy