salutary

adjective

sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce salutary (audio)
1
: producing a beneficial effect : remedial
salutary influences
2
: promoting health : curative
salutarily adverb
salutariness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for salutary

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

Examples of salutary in a Sentence

The accident should be a salutary lesson to be more careful. the low interest rates should have a salutary effect on business
Recent Examples on the Web Senseless brutality was recast as a salutary hardening of the soul. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023 One of the salutary things about the American political system is that its structure is explicitly written down. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 10 May 2023 But Students for Fair Admissions has also cemented a constitutional colorblindness that is already having salutary effects in other areas. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2023 Guerrero notes that City Hall itself has had a salutary effect in resetting standoffs between, for example, the Port of Los Angeles dockworkers’ union and the shipping industry’s trade group, the Pacific-Maritime Association. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 June 2023 The most salutary change was Kelsey, who turned from Rigoletto to Amonasro, and who gave his trademark smoky tone and aura of threat to a role that, earlier in the month, George Gagnidze had rendered merely tight and querulous. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2023 This new freedom of tone is salutary and reveals the dynamism of Arab societies. Alissa Simon, Variety, 8 Feb. 2023 But the old view of bilirubin as molecular trash is still holding back research on how to take advantage of its salutary effects, Stec says. Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 8 June 2023 President Kennedy's devotion to the Jeffersonian principle of separating religion and government to promote religious freedom has proven more salutary to the American regime than will be the desire to accommodate Coach Kennedy's prayer spectacle at public school football games. Barbara Perry, CNN, 29 June 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'salutary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French salutaire, from Latin salutaris, from salut-, salus health

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of salutary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near salutary

Cite this Entry

“Salutary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salutary. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

salutary

adjective
sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce salutary (audio)
1
: producing a good result
2
: furthering good health
salutariness noun

Medical Definition

salutary

adjective
sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce salutary (audio)
: promoting health : curative

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