"may well" vs "might as well"

Question

HiWhich of the following sentences sound more natural and correct?Host to guest:You must be tired. You may well freshen up. Host to guest:You must be tired. You might as well freshen up. Thanks,Tom

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Neither of those convey the message correctly. Here are the implications as I hear them.

You must be tired.
You may well freshen up, but it won't do any good. You'll still be tired.

You must be tired.
You might as well freshen up because there's nothing else you can do to help yourself now.
___
You need something like this:

You must be tired.
You may want to freshen up.
Or, possibly, You may well want to freshen up.

CJ

Mr. Tom · Answer

Thanks!

Apparently I couldn't convey the message properly.

Are "may well" and "may as well" synonymous?

1) She may well do this job, but she still won't be able to return the heavy debt.

2) She may as well do this job, she still won't be able to return the heavy debt.

Tom

Nona the brit · Answer

'may well' and might as well' definitely not synonymous.

Nor are 'may well' and 'may as well' - but I'm blowed if I can explain the difference right now, sorry.

CalifJim · Answer

I don't find that the two are synonymous, no, although see my final note below.
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may well is more appropriate for your example about doing the job, and I would choose 1, not 2.

may well is like may by itself. The difference -- in some situations -- is the added implication that the actions will not make the situation any better. This use of may well is similar to the use of although.

She may well take this job, but she still won't be able to pay her bills.
~

[Although / Even though] she may take this job, she still won't be able to pay her bills.
~
Even if she takes this job, she still won't be able to pay her bills.
________

may well can also mean may indeed, may truly, may in fact.

Jack may well decide to forego his vacation since he has so little money.

________

might as well / may as well means that a certain course of action is just as good as another; there is no point in pursuing another course of action. Nothing will come of trying an alternate course of action.

You might as well talk to a wall as try to have a conversation with my son.
We may as well go home. No one has come to the meeting. There's no point in staying here.
I might as well accept this invitation. I have nothing better to do that evening.

Old saying from Kansas, used when you are invited to join in someone else's activities:

Mise well. (Might as well.) Can't dance and it's too wet to plough.

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Unfortunately for learners, these two expressions are just similar enough in meaning to be confusing, and sometimes it's hard for a learner to determine which would be the better in a given situation. This confusion rarely exists for native speakers.

CJ

Mr. Tom · Answer

Many thanks to both of you.

One last question about "may well" and "may as well".

A guest comes to a party late when everyone else is having dinner. Do you think he may say any of these?

Please continue with your dinner. I may well freshen up.

Please continue with your dinner. I may as well freshen up.

Thanks again,

Tom

PS: I asked the almost same question again because the use is sinking in very slowly.

CalifJim · Answer

Depending on exactly how the guest is feeling, either one could be said. Here are the implications as I see them.

Please continue ...
I may well freshen up. / I think I really will take this time (while you're eating) to freshen up (though I haven't completely made up my mind yet if I will do that).

I may as well freshen up. I'm not eating together with you, and I have nothing else to do at this time. It doesn't make sense not to freshen up, so I'll freshen up.

Of the two, I like the second one better. It's sounds like something more likely to be said in that situation.

CJ

"may well" vs "might as well"

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