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

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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 Or what if a nurse advised a patient to stop exercising or sleeping regularly, or eating healthful meals, or taking prescribed medications? — Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 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 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 See All Example Sentences for healthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for healthful
  1. healthy
  2. good
Adjective
  • Fortifying the scalp and the roots creates a strong, healthy foundation for hair growth, which leads to fuller-looking, healthier hair.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 July 2026
  • In an era of extreme weather, climate uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and rising fertilizer costs, keeping soil healthy and nurturing the billions of microbes living there is not only necessary but also economically strategic.
    — Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Definition of healthy
Adjective
  • The next best thing to intravenous intervention when dehydrated is Liquid IV.
    — Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • Our best guess is that there might be a little bit of recognition for the youngest generations, too, watching all those clips — as in, Holy cow, Austin Powers was real!
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 7 July 2026
Definition of good

Browse Nearby Words

health clubs
healthful
healthfulness
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Cite this Entry

“Healthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthful. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on healthful

Nglish: Translation of healthful for Spanish Speakers

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