healthy
Americanadjective
-
healthier,
comparative
-
healthiest
superlative
-
possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality.
a healthy body;
a healthy mind.
- Antonyms:
- sick
-
pertaining to or characteristic of good health or a sound and vigorous mind.
a healthy appearance;
healthy attitudes.
-
conducive to good health; healthful.
healthy recreations.
- Synonyms:
- nourishing, nutritious
-
eligible for the Food and Drug Administration's label certifying that a food is suitable for helping consumers achieve a total diet that conforms to dietary recommendations.
-
prosperous or sound.
a healthy business.
-
Informal. fairly large.
I bought a healthy number of books.
adjective
-
enjoying good health
-
functioning well or being sound
the company's finances are not very healthy
-
conducive to health; salutary
-
indicating soundness of body or mind
a healthy appetite
-
informal considerable in size or amount
a healthy sum
Synonym Usage
Healthy, healthful, salubrious, salutary, wholesome refer to the promotion of health. Healthy, while applied especially to what possesses health, is also applicable to what is conducive to health: a healthy climate; not a healthy place to be. Healthful and salubrious are applied chiefly to what is conducive to health: healthful diet or exercise; a salubrious impact on mental outlook. Salutary suggests something that is conducive to well-being generally, as well as beneficial in preserving or in restoring health: salutary effects; to take salutary measures. It is used also to indicate moral benefit: to have a salutary fear of devious behavior. Wholesome has connotations of attractive freshness and purity; it applies to what is good for one, physically, morally, or both: wholesome food; wholesome influences or advice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of healthy
Explanation
Healthy means having good health. It's the opposite of sick, but also can mean "doing well" in a general sense. You can have a healthy attitude, or be served a healthy portion of food. Health is one of the most fundamental human concerns. The ubiquitous "How are you?" is often asking after a person's health. To remember healthy think of the proverb: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise."
Vocabulary lists containing healthy
List 1
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Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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Commonly Confused Words, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The disease interferes with the body's ability to maintain healthy muscles, making effective repair especially important.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026
No. Conversations that happen late in the day, feel stressful, raise questions or even stir up resentments can sometimes be healthy.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
“Our focus remains on building a healthy, profitable business for the long term,” Chief Executive Arkady Volozh said in a letter to shareholders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
Companies linked to the artificial intelligence sector have enjoyed a healthy bounce in recent days after last week's selloff sparked by regulatory concerns following the Democratic sweep of Congress.
From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026
Our research shows that Americans say they want healthy snacks, but they won’t eat healthy snacks.
From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman
Other analysts said the proposal could make costs to the average individual lower by expanding the pool of healthier — and therefore less costly — beneficiaries.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026
It said measures to help wildlife could include using fewer chemicals in farming to create healthier soil and less polluted waterways, as well as setting aside corners of grassland for animals.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
The lower percentage among caffeinated coffee drinkers adds to the evidence linking coffee consumption with healthier cognitive aging.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2026
It decided to appeal to parents looking for healthier snacks that kids will eat with three new varieties—with added protein, whole grains and gluten-free.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
It didn’t taste as good as rice or cassava, but it was healthier and filled our bellies.
From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince
That could test even the healthiest of sibling relationships.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
The disadvantages of Broadcom’s AI-chip strategy are also coming into sharper focus as the financial capacity of the healthiest tech companies gets stretched.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Avoiding drinking during pregnancy is the healthiest choice for both you and your baby.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
The place is family-owned and probably has the healthiest ice cream you’ll find.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
“I was like everyone else. I once told a friend of mine, in a moment of exuberance, ‘I’m gonna be the healthiest old man you ever met!’
From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
