welcome mat

noun

Synonyms of welcome matnext
: something likened to a mat placed before an entrance as a sign of welcome
put out the welcome mat for foreign investors

Examples of welcome mat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Boston is set to roll out the welcome mat for soccer fans from around the globe for the World Cup, while the town hosting the premier event is threatening to withhold an essential license. Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026 Pack also said there could be evidence on the welcome mat outside the door, which the person appears to have stepped on. Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 Travel is always better when a destination rolls out the welcome mat, and one Texas city is considered better at doing that than any other in the United States. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026 At the same time, welcome mats focus more on style and message. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for welcome mat

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of welcome mat was in 1946

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Welcome mat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/welcome%20mat. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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