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 Honsal said the dogs, cats and birds still at the rescue appear healthy and have adequate food and water. Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 Investors are debating if the tech rally, fueled by AI, constitutes a bubble, yet the current market cycle appears healthier than the dot-com boom. Andrew Graham, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 And while the sector decline weighed on the broader market, Ned Davis Research strategist Rob Anderson thinks the rotation out of semiconductors is healthy. Fred Imbert, CNBC, 1 July 2026 The secret to healthy aging Hennawi said research continues to show that healthy aging isn't determined by medicine or genetics alone. Nicky Zizaza, CBS News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for healthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for healthy
Adjective
  • When complaint becomes habitual, one’s attention might automatically drift toward problems; the neural path is well trod.
    James Davis, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • When South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena blasted home a penalty that leveled things in the 83rd minute and Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupted at an ear-splitting decibel level, any thoughts of The Wave were well and truly forgotten.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • Shah adds that many women feel their best when ferritin levels are at least between 40 and 70 ng/ml for optimal energy and hair health, even if lab ranges suggest lower levels are ‘normal’.
    Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026
  • Los Angeles stretches its NL West lead to 11 games and maintains MLB’s best record as Ohtani’s star power turns Sacramento’s nominal home crowd into a roaring Dodgers road show.
    Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • The amount was $2, but in a world where a farmworker’s wages might only be $5 a day, that was substantial, said Dahmer’s son, Dennis Dahmer Sr.
    Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • The breadth of the acquisition represented by the two gifts establishes the Menil Collection as one of the most substantial repositories of Winters’ work in the United States, the museum said.
    News Desk, Artforum, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • Despite a thriving local soccer scene and success in competition abroad, the only time the country appeared in the tournament was in Mexico in 1970.
    Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026
  • We’re inspired by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • Before the earthquakes, the government generally defended its national health system as robust, blaming shortcomings on sanctions imposed by the United States.
    Max Saltman, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • The country also offers robust infrastructure, with new projects such as the Hafeet Rail, enhanced digital connectivity, favorable tax policies, and a low crime rate.
    Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Potatoes are generally considered a more healthful option than rice due to their lower calorie content and higher fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamin B6 content.
    Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 9 June 2026
  • Trump’s order adds weight behind the study at a time when the administration had appeared to be trying to shift focus away from Kennedy’s more contentious vaccine policies and toward topics with more widespread support among medical professionals, such as healthful eating.
    Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • This puffy tote is from the same brand as a toiletry bag Oprah included on her 2025 Favorite Things list, and it’s backed by a sizable fan club (it’s been purchased more than 3,000 times in the past month alone).
    Annie Blackman, InStyle, 26 June 2026
  • But after a long day on the slopes, your aching limbs might need a cooldown, which is where the home’s sizable indoor pool comes in.
    Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • His mother, Mary Ann, came from a prosperous family of New Jersey undertakers, and taught in New York City’s public schools.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
  • Born in 1944, Peter Asher grew up in a prosperous London family (his father was the endocrinologist who identified and named Munchausen syndrome; his mother was a professional oboe player).
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Healthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthy. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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