wholesome
Americanadjective
-
conducive to moral or general well-being; salutary; beneficial.
wholesome recreation;
wholesome environment.
-
conducive to bodily health; healthful; salubrious.
wholesome food;
wholesome air;
wholesome exercise.
- Synonyms:
- nutritious, nourishing
-
suggestive of physical or moral health, especially in appearance.
-
healthy or sound.
adjective
-
conducive to health or physical wellbeing
-
conducive to moral wellbeing
-
characteristic or suggestive of health or wellbeing, esp in appearance
Synonym Usage
See healthy.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wholesome
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English ho(o)lsom; equivalent to whole + -some 1; cognate with Old High German heilsam, Old Norse heilsamr
Explanation
Anything wholesome is good for you. Hopscotch is in most cases a wholesome game, since you can't get into much trouble while hopping up and down on the concrete. Wholesome foods are the ones that your body appreciates, the ones that help you stay healthy. Marshmallows and corn chips aren't what you'd call wholesome, but organically grown fruits and vegetables are. Wholesome can also apply to other things. If you project a wholesome image, other people see you as a decent, moral person, somebody who's trustworthy and not living a secret life of crime. The word wholesome comes from the Old English hal, meaning "healthy."
Vocabulary lists containing wholesome
The Omnivore's Dilemma
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The War That Saved My Life
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Chew On This
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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.
The meals of hot dogs and tinned fruit were revelatory to children used to the flavorings of ginger and kimchi: “This was straight-up American food, wholesome, facile, and inert, and we adored it.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
It provided a magnificent and wholesome climax to the 154th Open, a dramatic championship marked by class and controversy.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
“He just really gets into the score’s DNA and really has a great insight into how to arrange thematic pieces that I think help make the movies more wholesome, just being a whole thing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Others will make the mistake because they’re eager for a wholesome reminder that not everything here is that bad.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
“Do what?” she’d say back, flashing her wholesome smile.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions 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.
