Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective salutary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of salutary are healthful, salubrious, and wholesome. While all these words mean "favorable to the health of mind or body," salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant.

a salutary warning that resulted in increased production

When could healthful be used to replace salutary?

The synonyms healthful and salutary are sometimes interchangeable, but healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition.

a healthful diet

When might salubrious be a better fit than salutary?

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

cool and salubrious weather

In what contexts can wholesome take the place of salutary?

The words wholesome and salutary can be used in similar contexts, but wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually.

wholesome foods
the movie is wholesome family entertainment

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 salutary His Canadian ploy was not salutary or deliberate, and the justifications that were marshaled in its defense made no sense either for him or for the United States. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 29 Apr. 2025 In Syria, ramping up support to U.S. allies on the ground would have a similarly salutary effect on U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s diplomatic initiatives. Linda S. Robinson, Foreign Affairs, 7 Dec. 2015 To some analysts, that difference is a tribute to the flexibility of Britain’s parliamentary government and a salutary distinction between Britain and the United States. Mark Landler, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025 Some of history’s most salutary technologies—telephones, automobiles, antibiotics, international jet travel, the personal computer—bent society’s productivity and wealth curves upward. Rich Karlgaard, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for salutary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for salutary
Adjective
  • Peanut butter, in moderation, is a great source of protein and healthy fats like vitamins B and E, which can be beneficial for your dog’s muscles, skin, coat and eyes.
    Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • Whey protein contains branched-chain amino acids, which are beneficial for muscle growth and recovery.
    Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Experts have said for some time that not all fats are bad—in fact, some are healthy and key to a balanced diet that can contribute to better weight management.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • That gunk could indicate that the river ecosystem isn’t healthy, Eichert told the Statesman, which could be due to dams upriver changing the historical flooding in the region.
    Alex Music July 8, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • This is driven by the ongoing market share gains from its FreeStyle Libre platform and the favorable effects of recent product launches, including Lingo, TriClip, and i-STAT.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • In 2019, 52% of Mainers had a favorable impression of Collins, according to Morning Consult polling.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com/IdentityTheft 10.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
  • But maybe, in an odd way, the timing is good, given the looming July 31 trade deadline.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 July 2025
Adjective
  • Here’s where a large mirror display can be helpful in an open floor space: to set off a bar.
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025
  • Also, cell phone chargers for automobiles can be helpful after the storm.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, horehound candy tastes distinctly bittersweet and almost medicinal, due to its herby main ingredient that gets only slightly jazzed up with sugar or molasses.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
  • Caligula was also convinced that his own father, Germanicus, died from poisoning, a belief that may have encouraged him to study medicinal plants in order to avoid the same fate.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • While supporters of incinerators cite the facilities’ use of high-level technology and that emissions are within healthful limits, environmentalists emphasize that incinerators still release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, lead, mercury, dioxins, cadmium and particulate matter.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2025
  • The menus designed for each Female Wellness guest are crafted specifically to their needs but are in line with the company’s overall sustainable, local, healthful plans.
    Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • At a moment as troubled as this one, to escape from this time into time itself is somehow salubrious.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Others wondered whether his election will have salubrious effects on Pakistan’s shambolic economy, foreign policy, or internal security.
    C. Christine Fair, Foreign Affairs, 27 July 2018

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Cite this Entry

“Salutary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/salutary. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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