Resting on evidence or reasoning strong enough to deserve confidence.
Reach for it when affirming that a belief, concern, hope, or conclusion has a reliable basis
Her confidence was well-founded because every trial had met the same safety threshold.
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| everyday | |
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| formal | |
| literary |
playful
checks out
Fits when verification can be reported informally
Careful Checks out is casual and suggests a completed check rather than durable grounds.
everyday
Fits when the position falls within sensible judgment
Careful A reasonable view may remain weakly supported.
everyday
sound
Fits when reasoning is dependable without needing emphatic praise
Careful Sound applies to methods and structures as well as beliefs, so it is less specific.
professional
Fits when a claim is believable enough to take seriously
Careful Credible is a lower evidentiary bar than a well-founded claim.
professional
Fits when explicit research or observed data support the claim
Careful Evidence-based can overstate situations grounded partly in judgment or experience.
professional
Fits when the evidence makes a reaction or decision defensible
Careful Justified can concern moral permission, while well-founded focuses on the basis for belief.
formal
substantiated
Fits when documentation or proof has answered a challenge
Careful Substantiated sounds forensic and is awkward for hope or confidence.
literary
rooted in fact
Fits when the evidential basis should be vivid
Careful The phrase is too absolute if values or forecasts also shape the conclusion.
well-founded concern
A well-founded concern about mold led to a full building inspection.
well-founded belief
Their well-founded belief rested on records from three independent archives.
well-founded confidence
Repeated drills gave the crew well-founded confidence in the evacuation plan.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated
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