healthy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈhel-thē 

 also  ˈhelt-

healthier; healthiest

1

a

: enjoying good health

healthy children

tips for staying healthy

: free from disease

Damping off rots healthy seedlings at soil level, breaking the heart of the gardener as surely as it breaks tender stems.

—Leslie Land

A person with heart disease will not be able to tolerate the same doses and drugs as a person with a healthy heart.

—Sallie Tisdale

b

: not displaying clinical signs of disease or infection

A patient with HIV may be healthy for several years before developing either the cluster of symptoms identified as AIDS or any of the bacterial, viral, fungal or protozoal infections known as AIDS Related Complex …

—Al Veerhoff

2

: beneficial to one's physical, mental, or emotional state : conducive to or associated with good health or reduced risk of disease

healthy foods

a healthy lifestyle

… walk three miles every day … a beastly bore, but healthy.

—G. S. Patton

3

: showing physical, mental, or emotional well-being : evincing good health

a healthy complexion

has a healthy appetite

The best thing about a good sense of humor, of course, is that it's a sure sign that you have a healthy attitude—always a refreshing check in the plus column.

—Glamour

4

a

: prosperous, flourishing

a healthy economy

b

: not small or feeble : considerable

a healthy sum of money

healthily

ˈhel-thə-lē 

adverb

eat healthily

healthiness

ˈhel-thē-nəs 

noun

Much has been made in recent years of the healthiness of the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fruit, vegetables, fish and olive oil.

—R. W. Apple, Jr.

healthy

2 of 2

adverb

variants or less commonly healthily

healthier; healthiest

: in a way that is beneficial to one's health

Let's face it: As much as we like to eat healthy, the old sweet tooth sometimes gets the best of us.

—Denise I. O'Neal

It's the time of year where fitness centres are full of well-intentioned people who have New Year's resolutions to live healthier.

—Doug Lunney

The aim is not to live longer but to age healthily, slowing down the onset of age-related diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's and arthritis.

—University of Oxford

The survey … also found 57 per cent say they have made changes to cook more healthily …

—Michael Barker

Synonyms

Adjective

• well
• robust
• strong
• whole
• sturdy
• wholesome
• hale
• fit
• thriving
• hearty

Choose the Right Synonym for healthy

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 healthy in a Sentence

Adjective

The company is financially healthy.

always a hard worker, Grandma has remained healthy into her 80s

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Experts have said for some time that not all fats are bad—in fact, some are healthy and key to a balanced diet that can contribute to better weight management. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Inside an office, a doctor told Ross that the top of his ligament was healthy and strong. —Will Sammon, New York Times, 8 July 2025

Adverb

Did coaches think Jack Tuttle was coming back healthy and could be a starting QB? —Austin Meek, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025

The hope is those players will show up healthy and refreshed for training camp in the fall. —Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 5 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see health

First Known Use

Adjective

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1632, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing healthy

• heart-healthy

Rhymes for healthy

• stealthy
• wealthy
• unhealthy

Video

Healthy vs. Healthful

Why both words are equally good for you.

Kids Definition

healthy

adjective

ˈhel-thē 

healthier; healthiest

1

a

: being in good health : well

b

: indicating good health

healthy complexion

2

: healthful sense 1

3

a

: enjoying vigorous and rapid growth

a healthy economy

b

: not small or feeble : considerable

a healthy crowd in attendance

healthily

-thə-lē 

adverb

healthiness

-thē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

healthy

adjective

ˈhel-thē 

healthier; healthiest

1

: enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit

2

: revealing a state of health

a healthy complexion

3

: conducive to health

healthily

-thə-lē 

adverb

healthiness

-thē-nəs 

noun