all were well

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all were well" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "all were well" should be "all was well" or "all are well" depending on the context. Example: "After the storm passed, we checked on everyone, and I was relieved to find that all was well."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

All were well reviewed.

The New York Times

Even if all were well with the UK economy, there would be the potential for trouble.

The Guardian - Business

All were well above the levels the Department of Interior considers safe.

The Economist

All were well behaved as they filed inside to be greeted by balloons and clapping staff members.

The New York Times

But those other contributors to the creation of a pop-culture market mattered, too -- not least because all were well intentioned.

The New York Times - Books

But all were well armed, including one unshaven man who paraded across the main square with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher slung over each shoulder.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

The resulting star-shaped polymers all were well-defined in architecture and precisely controlled in-chain length and composition.

Science and Technology of Advanced Materials

While some of the Hollywood guests of yesterday came incognito, Burt Lancaster, Kim Novak and Aldous Huxley all were well-known regulars.

Huffington Post

"You all were well-mannered and good friends enough to not say it too loudly to me, but I did feel it," Perlis tells Beet.TV in this video interview.

Huffington Post

Collectively, the abstractors had extensive medical record abstraction experience averaging more than ten years each; all were well-versed in medical terminology, though none were nurses or clinicians.

BMC Health Services Research

Because of the homogeneity of the study population (all were well-controlled) we were not in the position to elucidate whether the health status of patients is associated with patient's behavior.

Cardiovascular Diabetology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If referring to multiple individuals, ensure correct verb conjugation to reflect plurality, such as by writing "all are well".

Common error

Avoid using "all were well" when referring to a singular collective state. Use "all was well" instead to maintain grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as a declarative statement, often used to provide reassurance or to describe a past situation where things ended favorably. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct grammatical construction should align with the intended meaning.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase “all were well” is commonly found, particularly in news and media contexts, but as Ludwig AI observes, it's not always grammatically correct. When referring to a collective state, "all was well" is more appropriate. The phrase is used to reassure or describe a past situation with a positive outcome. While its frequency makes it familiar, writers should ensure grammatical accuracy based on the intended meaning. Alternatives like "everything was alright" or "everyone was safe" may be more suitable in certain situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all was well

Singular verb agreement with "all" referring to a collective state of affairs.

everything was alright

Replaces "all" with "everything" and uses "alright" instead of "well".

all are doing well

Uses present tense instead of past tense, but keeps the plural tense.

everyone was healthy

Focuses on the health aspect, replacing "all" with "everyone".

everybody is doing fine

Replaces "all" with "everybody" and uses the idiom "doing fine".

they were all in good condition

More formal, emphasizing condition rather than general well-being.

the situation was stable

Emphasizes stability, suitable when referring to circumstances.

all is going well

Expresses that a process or project is progressing successfully.

the team was unharmed

Specifies "team" and focuses on the absence of physical harm.

each person was safe

Emphasizes the safety of individuals, replacing "all" with "each person".

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "all were well"?

The correct forms depend on the context. Use "all was well" when referring to a general situation. To describe the health of multiple people, it is better to say "all are well" or "everyone is well".

When should I use "all was well" instead of "all were well"?

Use "all was well" when describing a situation or state of affairs in the past. For instance, "After the storm, all was well."

Is "all were well" grammatically correct?

No, "all were well" is generally not grammatically correct. It's more appropriate to say "all was well" (singular) or "all are well" or "everyone is well" (plural, referring to people).

What are some alternatives to "all were well"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "everything was alright", "everyone was safe", or "all was well".