healthy

adjective

ˈhel-thē How to pronounce healthy (audio)
Definition of healthynext
1
as in well
enjoying health and vigor always a hard worker, Grandma has remained healthy into her 80s

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in good
beneficial to the health of body or mind the air in here isn't healthy ads that promote healthy eating habits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in substantial
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention a healthy turnout of volunteers to plant trees on Arbor Day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in thriving
marked by vigorous growth and well-being especially economically coming out of a prolonged recession, the restaurant business seemed to be healthy again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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a healthy diet
a nutritious diet
a balanced diet
a beneficial diet
a proper diet
a good diet
a healthy economy
a strong economy
a stable economy
a balanced economy
a sturdy economy
a sustainable economy
healthy life
active life
happy life
a healthy environment
a sustainable environment
a positive environment
a helpful environment
a safe environment
a beneficial environment

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 But Berg doesn't believe soda bans would help people to eat a healthier diet. —Katia Riddle, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025 Time will tell if a healthy roster can make up the difference. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025 Its buildable formula contains vitamin E, a nourishing antioxidant that supports healthy eyelashes, Dr. Kelley says. —Sara Coughlin, SELF, 3 Apr. 2025 Hands-on educational activities, Kids Zone, vendor village, live music, speakers, workshops and healthy food. —Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for healthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for healthy
  1. well
  2. good
  3. substantial
  4. thriving
  5. robust
  6. healthful
  7. sizable
  8. prosperous
Adjective
  • Crockpots are still made well, as are, in my experience anyway, the more modernized version: Instant Pots.
    — Parker Hall, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2025
  • The witch’s magic is still MIA, but her attitude is well and truly back.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of well
Adjective
  • After a week full of monstrous swings, the S&P 500 posted its best weekly performance since November 23, while the Nasdaq saw its best week since November 2022, according to the financial data firm FactSet.
    — Anne Marie Drummond Lee, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Shorts are the only categories whose winners are ineligible for best picture, acting, screenplay or any other major Oscar, due to their length.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of good
Adjective
  • Manufacturers that do not resolve deficits for a model year may be subject to substantial CAFE civil penalties to bring their fleets into compliance.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Thanks to the more substantial cooling in the Mac Studio, chips like the M4 Max and M3 Ultra can work their hardest without throttling.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of substantial
Adjective
  • Since distancing from the royal family, Markle has been working on establishing herself as a thriving business woman.
    — Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Here, her thriving rose collection has been a project years in the making—the product of a small, gradual endeavor that soared to new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of thriving
Adjective
  • For Xia, robust security isn't a response to industry events but has been Bitmart's core philosophy since day one.
    — Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Getty is boasts one of the most robust art collections in the world, with the Getty Center alone containing more than 44,000 antiquities dating as far back as 6,500 BCE.
    — Francesca Aton for ArtNews, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of robust
Adjective
  • Focus on your diet and exercise routine: Eating a healthful, balanced diet and regularly exercising can help support your eye and overall health.
    — Lindsay Curtis, Health, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Then, with the Heat moving toward a more healthful menu, with a full-time nutritionist now in place, the cookies were gone.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of healthful
Adjective
  • While the flagship Pixels are all screen from the front, there's a sizable gap between the edge of the OLED and the aluminum frame.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Lea Salonga brings additional star power to the sizable roster of extraordinary talents, including Tony and Olivier winners Gavin Lee, Beth Leavel and Joanna Riding.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of sizable
Adjective
  • Building a more secure and prosperous future starts now, and the clock is ticking.
    — Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The Alters is a base-building enterprise that invites clever players to become engaged in a variety of useful skills, repairs, and hobbies for this handy collection of Jans that will hopefully lead to a peaceful and prosperous settlement.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of prosperous

Browse Nearby Words

health spas
healthy
heap
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Cite this Entry

“Healthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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