healthful

adjective

ˈhelth-fəl How to pronounce healthful (audio)
Definition of healthfulnext
as in healthy
beneficial to the health of body or mind one of the most healthful forms of exercise is a brisk walk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective healthful contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of healthful are salubrious, salutary, and wholesome. While all these words mean "favorable to the health of mind or body," healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition.

a healthful diet

When might salubrious be a better fit than healthful?

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

cool and salubrious weather

When can salutary be used instead of healthful?

The words salutary and healthful can be used in similar contexts, but salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant.

a salutary warning that resulted in increased production

When is wholesome a more appropriate choice than healthful?

The synonyms wholesome and healthful are sometimes interchangeable, 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 healthful Food is creative and generally healthful, with plenty of veggie-forward options and lots of flavor. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 Honey is the naturally sweet, healthful, old-as-time substance bees produce. — Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 26 July 2026 The couple has a passion for healthful eating and taking care of the environment, providing for the land that provides for them, as Hakenah Hulitt put it. — Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for healthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for healthful
  1. healthy
  2. good
Adjective
  • Getting Williams back healthy had been central to Oklahoma City’s goal of returning to the NBA Finals.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Both of these elements challenge different facets of balance, strength, and mobility, all of which are important for healthy aging and everyday activities.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of healthy
Adjective
  • While the bathrooms in most accommodations feature walk-in showers, a few of the upstairs rooms have bathtubs, making those rooms a good choice for families.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Thunder star Jalen Williams, the team’s second-leading scorer and best all-around defender during its title run two seasons ago, fractured a fibula and dislocated his left ankle in a gruesome injury Sunday.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of good

Browse Nearby Words

health clubs
healthful
healthfulness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Healthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthful. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wraith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All