Reception vs Welcome welcome
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Reception
Top 2,000 (common)A2noun
Welcome welcome
Top 1,000 (very common)
Most common: Welcome welcome
| Reception | Welcome welcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈsepʃn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈsepʃn/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈwɛlkəm ˈwɛlkəm//🇺🇸 //ˈwɛlkəm ˈwɛlkəm// |
| Meaning | The act of receiving or a place to welcome people. | A warm way to greet someone and make them feel accepted. |
| Example | The reception for the wedding was held at a beautiful hotel. | They greeted us with a warm welcome, welcome. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | report to, call, call down to, area, lobby, counter, at reception, at the reception, in reception, big, large, lavish, attend, give, have, room, at a/the reception, reception for, enthusiastic, favourable/favorable, friendly, enjoy, get, have, party, centre/center, reception by, reception from, reception into, good, strong, bad, enthusiastic, favourable/favorable, friendly, enjoy, get, have, party, centre/center, reception by, reception from, reception into | warm welcome, friendly welcome, official welcome |
| Antonyms | departure, exit | farewell farewell, goodbye goodbye |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'receipt' — a document acknowledging payment., Used as a verb instead of as a noun., Mispronounced, especially stressing the wrong syllable. | Using it in a formal context., Overusing 'welcome' without varying the greeting., Confusing with 'welcome back' when someone returns. |
| Usage notes | Used in both formal and informal contexts. Commonly refers to events or gatherings (like a wedding reception) or front desks in offices. Not appropriate for casual situations unrelated to welcoming or receiving. | Use this greeting when someone arrives, often repeated for emphasis. It's friendly and inviting. |
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Frequently asked questions: Reception vs Welcome welcome
What's the difference between Reception and Welcome welcome?
Reception: The act of receiving or a place to welcome people. Welcome welcome: A warm way to greet someone and make them feel accepted.
Which is more common: Reception and Welcome welcome?
Welcome welcome is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Reception: The reception for the wedding was held at a beautiful hotel. Welcome welcome: They greeted us with a warm welcome, welcome.
Can I use Reception and Welcome welcome interchangeably?
Not always. Reception and Welcome welcome are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.