well-groomed

IPA/ˌwel ˈɡruːmd/
IPA/ˌwel ˈɡruːmd/

well-groomed — adjective

1. describes a person whose hair, clothes, and general appearance are all very neat

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person whose hair, clothes, and general appearance are all very neat and tidy, showing that they put effort into looking clean and presentable

Example

Théo arrived at the interview looking well-groomed in a dark suit and polished shoes.

well-groomed + formal context (interview)

The receptionists at the clinic all looked well-groomed, with clean uniforms and neatly combed hair.

Common collocations
  • look well-groomed
  • appear well-groomed
  • keep [beard/hair] well-groomed
  • a well-groomed [person/appearance/look]
Synonyms
  • neat

    more general; can describe objects and places as well as people

  • well-dressed

    focuses specifically on clothing rather than overall grooming

  • smart

    informal British English; implies a clean, tidy, and stylish look

Antonyms
  • unkempt

    direct opposite; describes messy or uncared-for appearance

  • scruffy

    informal; describes a deliberately untidy or neglected look

Grammar Patterns

be well-groomed

look well-groomed

appear well-groomed

keep + noun + well-groomed

Usage Note

Commonly used to describe people's overall appearance. Can also describe animals such as show dogs, but this is less frequent.

Common Mistakes

She is a well-groomed worker who always meets deadlines.
She is a well-groomed worker who always wears neat, clean clothes.
well-groomed refers to physical appearance only, not work habits.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Neat is the most general term and can describe anything from a tidy room to organised handwriting. Well-dressed focuses only on clothing — a person can be well-dressed but still have messy hair or an untidy beard. Smart, common in British English, suggests a clean and stylish look suitable for professional or formal settings. Well-groomed covers the whole picture: clothing, hair, skin, and overall cleanliness. For example, 'The candidate was well-dressed in an expensive suit, but his untidy hair meant he was not well-groomed.'

neat ↗well-dressed ↗smart ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • immaculately well-groomed
  • always well-groomed
  • perfectly well-groomed

Phrases

  • keep [something] well-groomed
  • look and appear well-groomed

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Well-groomed combines the adverb 'well' (from Old English 'wel', meaning 'in a good manner') with the past participle 'groomed' (from the verb 'groom', which originally meant 'to tend a horse'). In the 1800s, the phrase began to describe people who keep their appearance as carefully tended as a well-kept horse.

First known use

1865

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1