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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 fundamentals are healthier, and balance sheets are stronger. Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 The ultimate goal is to make healthy eating and staying active fun for the whole family. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 15 Sep. 2025 The Chiefs don’t have a healthy receiver who can separate from man-to-man coverage. Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025 Earlier this year, before disbanding the C.D.C.’s vaccine panel, Kennedy unilaterally announced that the agency would no longer recommend covid vaccination for healthy children or pregnant women. Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for healthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for healthy
Adjective
  • Beneath the surface, though, all is not well.
    Ian King, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The ads for it were…well, pure 1970s.
    Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The extra point was good but there was a holding penalty on the Rebels.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
  • After 10 tumultuous years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kadri delivered his best campaign with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, posting 89 points in the regular season and finishing by hoisting the Stanley Cup.
    Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Gap years spent working, volunteering, or launching projects often lead to more intentional education choices and a more substantial ROI.
    Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The lot of the unit covers a substantial area of 7,400 square feet.
    Bay Area Home Report, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The habitat corridors needed to support thriving populations of jaguars and dolphins and productive fisheries are threatened by both deforestation and construction of hydropower dams.
    Jeff Opperman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • As the final season begins, Jamie and Claire apparently find war has followed them home to Fraser’s Ridge, by now a thriving settlement that grew in their absence.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The company’s commitment extends beyond compensation, with additional benefits such as tuition assistance, professional development programs, career mobility resources, and robust stock award programs.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The robust sauce clings to the pasta, creating a dish far greater than the sum of its parts.
    Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Research finds that eating mostly healthful, nutritious foods also helps.
    Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Lubetzky launched Kind in 2004, aiming to create snacks that were both healthful and socially responsible.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Turns out there is also a sizable hitch in the AI internal code-generation mechanics.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The party’s misfortunes appear even greater in the context of its landslide victory in July last year, which delivered it a sizable majority in parliament.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Acting now affirms the values that bind us together and builds a healthier, more prosperous society for all.
    Shelley Stewart III, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Living like a gentleman on the income from a not particularly prosperous parish, like her father did, involved a certain amount of keeping up appearances.
    Lucy Worsley September 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Healthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthy. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on healthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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