salutary

adjective

sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce salutary (audio)
1
: producing a beneficial effect : remedial
salutary influences
2
: promoting health : curative
salutarily adverb
salutariness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for salutary

healthful, wholesome, salubrious, salutary mean favorable to the health of mind or body.

healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition.

a healthful diet

wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually.

wholesome foods
the movie is wholesome family entertainment

salubrious applies chiefly to the helpful effects of climate or air.

cool and salubrious weather

salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant.

a salutary warning that resulted in increased production

Example Sentences

The accident should be a salutary lesson to be more careful. the low interest rates should have a salutary effect on business
Recent Examples on the Web President Kennedy's devotion to the Jeffersonian principle of separating religion and government to promote religious freedom has proven more salutary to the American regime than will be the desire to accommodate Coach Kennedy's prayer spectacle at public school football games. Barbara Perry, CNN, 29 June 2022 The hybrid of conceptual purity and experiential openness is a salutary reminder that form and style are as important in documentary as in fiction, and serve much the same purpose in both formats: to transform ideas into action, to embody consciousness in real time. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 June 2021 This would have a lot of salutary benefits. Ryan Cooper, The Week, 18 Nov. 2021 Then again, one of Gopnik’s salutary aims here is to demystify — and democratize — mastery. Tom Vanderbilt, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2023 The symbolism of Biden’s personal trip to Kyiv delivered a salutary message and was well-timed to counterprogram Putin’s petulant propaganda speech this week. The Editors, National Review, 24 Feb. 2023 Blinken preempted that rebuke in his public appearance with Netanyahu on Monday by characterizing the disagreement as a salutary discussion of best practices between democratic allies. Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2023 Putin’s Russia, though, is a revisionist power out to overturn a salutary status quo. Josef Joffe, Time, 1 Dec. 2022 Prime Minister Sunak may end up speeding up a natural and salutary process. Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 27 Oct. 2022 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle French salutaire, from Latin salutaris, from salut-, salus health

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of salutary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near salutary

Cite this Entry

“Salutary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salutary. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

salutary

adjective
sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce salutary (audio)
1
: producing a good result
2
: furthering good health
salutariness noun

Medical Definition

salutary

adjective
sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce salutary (audio)
: promoting health : curative

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