Definition of healthynext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word healthy distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of healthy are hale, robust, sound, well, and wholesome. While all these words mean "enjoying or indicative of good health," healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

Where would hale be a reasonable alternative to healthy?

While in some cases nearly identical to healthy, hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

When is robust a more appropriate choice than healthy?

While the synonyms robust and healthy are close in meaning, robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

When might sound be a better fit than healthy?

Although the words sound and healthy have much in common, sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

When would well be a good substitute for healthy?

The words well and healthy can be used in similar contexts, but well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

In what contexts can wholesome take the place of healthy?

The meanings of wholesome and healthy largely overlap; however, wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of healthy The Vitamin C Super Serum+ promotes a more youthful and healthy-looking complexion by improving the appearance of wrinkles and dark spots, revealing smoother and brighter-looking skin. Tory Johnson, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026 Keeping him healthy is paramount for a lineup that isn’t projected to be particularly powerful. Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026 Make no mistake, as healthy top-to-bottom as Denver is, there are still a few notable holes on this roster. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026 Combined with her rounded almond shape, Gomez's nails look clean and healthy with just the right amount of shine for an elevated take on a bare nail. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for healthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for healthy
Adjective
  • The prescriptions program is expected to serve about 6,500 children and families in northwest Milwaukee at nearly 13,000 annual well-child visits.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Last week, Spurs beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home and all was well with the world.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Another newcomer, closer Pete Fairbanks, the Marlins’ $13 million free-agent splurge, finished the game in good fashion.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2026
  • A level head will be your best asset.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Taxpayers generally foot a substantial portion of the bill, and owners reap the revenue from ticket sales, concessions, and stadium naming rights.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Gontang notes that walking on an incline can make a substantial difference because walking uphill requires more muscle activation and greater energy expenditure than walking on a flat surface.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • No one in this industry is really thriving, and that’s truer now than ever.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Packed with nightclubs, bars, restaurants, movie theatres and an array of other thriving businesses, The Stroll was a Black creative and cultural hub that became known as the jazz capital of the world.
    Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • There is a robust civil process, overseen by state and local elections officials, to request a recount or challenge the results of an election.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
  • In addition to his robust campaign fundraising, Holland has been able to bring on the head of the local Republican Party, Matthew Kay, as his campaign chair.
    Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • There are ways to ease the adjustment, including getting more sunshine to help reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep.
    Lauran Neergaard, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
  • There are ways to ease the adjustment, including getting more sunshine to help reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • But Trump’s election proved that a sizable contingent of the population had no problem imposing their values on others—and even hoped that the government might do so for them.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In North Texas, there were more than a dozen rallies, each drawing a sizable crowd.
    Briseida Holguin, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The convergence of Abundance centrists and conservative environmentalists would seem to belie the ACC’s assertion that the environmental movement is dominated by radicals who would rather sabotage the American economy than accept any of the compromises necessary to achieve a prosperous future.
    Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Perhaps the most important thing to emerge through the great waves of legislation is not any one policy but a new set of ideas about what works in creating a more equal and prosperous society.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Healthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthy. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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