wholesome

adjective

whole·​some ˈhōl-səm 

1

: good for one's health or well-being: such as

a

: promoting mental or moral health or well-being

wholesome family entertainment

"… You have both always had large private means, and have never had the wholesome discipline of work."

—P. G. Wodehouse

b

: promoting health of body

Arthritis sufferers are encouraged to take control of their own health by adhering to a wholesome diet …

—Barbra A. Bannon

2

a

: having or suggesting good health, behavior, and morals

his wholesome good looks

The authors paint a picture of incredibly wholesome youths who will correct the narcissism and nihilism of their Boomer parents.

—David Brooks

b

: having the simple health or vigor of normal domesticity

wholesome family life

Wholesome as the smell of homemade bread just out of the oven …

—Pamela Taylor

c

: arousing pleasant and usually sentimental feelings : endearing

… the proud parents shared some wholesome updates about recent family bonding experiences.

—Brenton Blanchet

3

a

: based on well-grounded fear : prudent

a wholesome respect for the law

b

: safe

… it wouldn't be wholesome for you to go down there …

—Mark Twain

wholesomely adverb

wholesomeness noun

Synonyms of wholesome

• healthy
• well
• robust

Choose the Right Synonym for wholesome

healthful, wholesome, salubrious, salutary mean favorable to the health of mind or body.

healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition.

a healthful diet

wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually.

wholesome foods

the movie is wholesome family entertainment

salubrious applies chiefly to the helpful effects of climate or air.

cool and salubrious weather

salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant.

a salutary warning that resulted in increased production

healthy, sound, wholesome, robust, hale, well mean enjoying or indicative of good health.

healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

Examples of wholesome in a Sentence

a wholesome dish made with vegetables

less-than-wholesome entertainment that wasn't appropriate for children

a young actor known for his wholesome good looks

Recent Examples on the Web

Viewers couldn’t get enough of the adorable nighttime ritual, which quickly turned into a wholesome comment thread filled with laughter and relatability. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

While the bad clown—a horror staple—might seem like a perversion of a wholesome form of entertainment historically meant for children, the clown in popular culture has always been subversive. —Time, 30 Oct. 2025

Either way, there’s something wholesome about this movement, despite the partial nudity. —Justin Williams, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025

Tim Burton's film explores the border between life and the afterlife with some of the best in the biz, from Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin’s wholesome (and dead) homeowners to Winona Ryder's angsty teen to her ridiculous mother (Catherine O'Hara) to the imp with a limp (Michael Keaton). —Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for wholesome

• unwholesome

Kids Definition

wholesome

adjective

whole·​some ˈhōl-səm 

1

: helping to keep or improve the good condition of the mind, body, or spirit

a wholesome environment

2

: sound in body, mind, or morals : healthy

a wholesome family movie

wholesomely adverb

wholesomeness noun