Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective healthful contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of healthful are salubrious, salutary, and wholesome. While all these words mean "favorable to the health of mind or body," healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition.

a healthful diet

When might salubrious be a better fit than healthful?

While in some cases nearly identical to healthful, salubrious applies chiefly to the helpful effects of climate or air.

cool and salubrious weather

When can salutary be used instead of healthful?

The words salutary and healthful can be used in similar contexts, but salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant.

a salutary warning that resulted in increased production

When is wholesome a more appropriate choice than healthful?

The synonyms wholesome and healthful are sometimes interchangeable, but wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually.

wholesome foods
the movie is wholesome family entertainment

Examples of healthful in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Simmons was active in charity events, particularly those promoting a healthful lifestyle, and taught classes at his exercise studio. Pat Saperstein, Variety, 13 July 2024 Last year, a group of young environmental activists in Montana won a landmark lawsuit in which a judge ruled that state agencies were violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by allowing fossil fuel development. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024 Maintaining a healthy body weight, consuming a healthful diet, and avoiding or limiting alcohol can help reduce the risk of developing or dying from cancer. Cathy Nelson, Verywell Health, 16 July 2024 Replete in healthful elements all wrapped in a fantastical landscape of rocks of the volcanic sort, the Big Rock Canyon Trail delivers a steady stream of serotonin without the junk propellant. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for healthful 

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

Thesaurus Entries Near healthful

Cite this Entry

“Healthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthful. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on healthful

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