wholesome

adjective

whole·​some ˈhōl-səm How to pronounce wholesome (audio)
1
: good for one's health or well-being: such as
a
: promoting mental or moral health or well-being
wholesome family entertainment
"… You have both always had large private means, and have never had the wholesome discipline of work."P. G. Wodehouse
b
: promoting health of body
Arthritis sufferers are encouraged to take control of their own health by adhering to a wholesome diet …Barbra A. Bannon
2
a
: having or suggesting good health, behavior, and morals
his wholesome good looks
The authors paint a picture of incredibly wholesome youths who will correct the narcissism and nihilism of their Boomer parents.David Brooks
b
: having the simple health or vigor of normal domesticity
wholesome family life
Wholesome as the smell of homemade bread just out of the oven …Pamela Taylor
c
: arousing pleasant and usually sentimental feelings : endearing
This was both so wholesome and funny. It is so sweet to see how much they care about each other and how they treat one another just like family.@eveaine, on Twitter
3
a
: based on well-grounded fear : prudent
a wholesome respect for the law
b
: safe
… it wouldn't be wholesome for you to go down there …Mark Twain
wholesomely adverb
wholesomeness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for wholesome

healthful, wholesome, salubrious, salutary mean favorable to the health of mind or body.

healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition.

a healthful diet

wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually.

wholesome foods
the movie is wholesome family entertainment

salubrious applies chiefly to the helpful effects of climate or air.

cool and salubrious weather

salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant.

a salutary warning that resulted in increased production

healthy, sound, wholesome, robust, hale, well mean enjoying or indicative of good health.

healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

Examples of wholesome in a Sentence

a wholesome dish made with vegetables less-than-wholesome entertainment that wasn't appropriate for children a young actor known for his wholesome good looks
Recent Examples on the Web While the first trailer shared the wholesome story of how Garfield (voiced by Chris Pratt) entered Jon’s (voiced by Nicholas Hoult) life, the latest preview gets to Garfield’s unexpected reunion with his biological dad, Vic (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson). Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2024 These acts, after all, are designed to provide wholesome memories, not nagging nightmares. Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 To prove her point, Teigen shared a photo dump featuring a video of her and Luna watching a TikTok together on her phone — a wholesome moment that apparently ended with a startling surprise. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Both performances offer touches of ribald humor that pay homage to drag’s more transgressive roots, while sanding off the sharpest of those edges and putting a wholesome face on the form. Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 Mothers are expected to be wholesome and nurturing. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024 One secret to the remarkably savory taste of this wholesome meal-in-a-bowl is simply zapping the uncooked rice and onion in the oil before adding the broth. Nancy Baggett, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Soft, wholesome, bright and cheerful aromas of red and black cherries and fresh plums. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Oranges With Ginger Yogurt Sauce This simple dessert from Madhur Jaffrey is refreshing and wholesome enough to double as an afternoon snack. Anna Rodriguez, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wholesome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wholesome was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wholesome

Cite this Entry

“Wholesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wholesome. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wholesome

adjective
whole·​some ˈhōl-səm How to pronounce wholesome (audio)
1
: helping to keep or improve the good condition of the mind, body, or spirit
a wholesome environment
2
: sound in body, mind, or morals : healthy
a wholesome family movie
wholesomely adverb
wholesomeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wholesome

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