salutary

adjective

sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē 

1

: producing a beneficial effect : remedial

salutary influences

2

: promoting health : curative

salutarily

ˌsal-yə-ˈter-ə-lē 

adverb

salutariness

ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• advantageous
• benefic
• beneficent
• beneficial
• benignant
• favorable
• friendly
• good
• helpful
• kindly
• profitable

Choose the Right Synonym for salutary

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

Examples of salutary in a Sentence

The accident should be a salutary lesson to be more careful.

the low interest rates should have a salutary effect on business

Recent Examples on the Web

The results should make salutary reading for the U.K.’s new government, which has been talking a lot about the need for growth but also proposing new laws concerning workers’ rights and is believed to be contemplating higher taxes in its first Budget next month. —Roger Trapp, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

But the evolution of personal computing offers a salutary lesson. —Vipul Ved Prakash, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024

Antitrust enthusiasts often point to this as an example of salutary government intervention, but this is a classic post hoc ergo propter hoc error. —The Editors, National Review, 13 Aug. 2024

Beyond freeing up American attention and resources, a right-sized relationship would also have a salutary effect on European strategic planning: when pushed to take day-to-day responsibility for continental security, European states would have to bear the full costs of their security choices. —Justin Logan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French salutaire, from Latin salutaris, from salut-, salus health

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

salutary

adjective

sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē 

1

: producing a good result

2

: furthering good health

salutariness noun

Medical Definition

salutary

adjective

sal·​u·​tary ˈsal-yə-ˌter-ē 

: promoting health : curative