healthy

/ˈhelθi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhelθi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhel-thē also ˈhelt-/ (ame, mw)

healthy — adjective

  • healthypositive
  • healthiercomparative
  • healthiestsuperlative

1. having a body that works well and is free from illness or injury

1.形容詞A2
釋義

having a body that works well and is free from illness or injury

例句

Trang stays healthy by walking to work every morning.

collocation: stay healthy

The doctor said the baby was born healthy and strong.

passive: was born healthy

同義詞
  • fit

    emphasizes physical condition and strength through exercise rather than absence of illness

  • well

    used more often in short-term contexts ('I am well today') rather than a lasting state

  • strong

    focuses on physical power rather than freedom from disease

反義詞
  • sick

    the direct opposite — not free from illness

  • ill

    similar to sick but slightly more formal

文法句型

healthy + noun

be/look/feel/stay healthy

用法筆記

Often paired with linking verbs such as 'be', 'stay', 'feel', 'look', and 'remain'. Can describe people, animals, or body parts.

常見錯誤

❌I hope you are healthful.
✅I hope you are healthy.
💡'healthful' describes something that gives health (e.g. a healthful meal), not a person's own condition.

2. showing signs of good physical condition through a person's appearance, for exam

2.形容詞B1
釋義

showing signs of good physical condition through a person's appearance, for example clear skin, bright eyes, or shiny hair

例句

After a month of exercise, Tara had a healthy glow in her cheeks.

collocation: healthy glow

Christopher's hair looks thick and healthy since he changed his diet.

同義詞
  • radiant

    stronger praise; suggests brightness that attracts attention

  • glowing

    very close in meaning to this sense, especially for skin

  • blooming

    less common; suggests fresh, youthful health

反義詞
  • pale

    opposite of a healthy complexion; lacks colour

  • sallow

    a yellowish, unhealthy look to the skin

文法句型

healthy + noun (complexion, glow, skin, hair)

look/keep healthy

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1 (PHYSICALLY WELL), this sense describes what someone or something looks like, not their actual internal state. Often used with skin, hair, teeth, nails, and plants.

3. helping your body or mind to stay in good condition through food, exercise, or l

3.形容詞B1
釋義

helping your body or mind to stay in good condition through food, exercise, or lifestyle choices

例句

Trang makes a healthy smoothie with spinach and bananas every morning.

collocation: healthy smoothie

Zayd replaced white rice with brown rice for a healthier meal option.

comparative: healthier option

同義詞
  • nutritious

    specifically about containing important nutrients; less common in conversation

  • wholesome

    suggests natural, unprocessed qualities and moral goodness

  • beneficial

    broader — can describe anything with a positive effect, not just health

  • good for you

    informal phrase, not a single word; very common in speech

反義詞
  • unhealthy

    direct opposite — not good for your health

  • harmful

    broader — can describe anything that causes damage

  • junk

    informal; used before 'food' to mean low-quality and unhealthy

文法句型

healthy + noun (food, meal, habit, lifestyle)

be healthy for someone/something

用法筆記

Frequently used before nouns related to food (snack, meal, diet, ingredients), physical activity (exercise, habit, lifestyle), and sometimes abstract things (attitude, relationship, environment).

常見錯誤

❌This meal is very health.
✅This meal is very healthy.
💡'health' is a noun, not an adjective.
❌I need a more healthful diet.
✅I need a healthier diet.
💡'healthful' exists but 'healthy' is now the standard choice for food in everyday English.

4. working or growing well and showing financial or operational strength — used for

4.形容詞B2
釋義

working or growing well and showing financial or operational strength — used for economies, companies, organisations, or relationships

例句

The local economy stayed healthy even during the global slowdown.

collocation: healthy economy

Nia runs a healthy business that has grown every year since 2019.

同義詞
  • strong

    similar range but more general; can describe markets, currencies, and performances

  • flourishing

    more dramatic; suggests rapid, visible growth

  • thriving

    similar to flourishing, but slightly more common in business contexts

  • robust

    formal; emphasises resilience and the ability to withstand shocks

反義詞
  • weak

    direct opposite for economies, companies, or relationships

  • failing

    stronger — suggests the entity is in danger of collapse

  • unstable

    focuses on lack of reliability rather than absence of success

文法句型

healthy + noun (economy, business, relationship, company)

用法筆記

Subject is usually an abstract entity (economy, company, democracy, relationship) rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 6 (LARGE AMOUNT), which describes the size of a financial figure; this sense describes the well-being of the entity itself.

常見錯誤

❌The company's healthy profit' (when meaning a large amount).
✅The company's healthy profit' (correct if meaning the profit shows the company is strong, but for the amount itself use sense 6).
💡Listen to whether you are describing the company's state or the number's size.

5. showing normal and reasonable thinking, especially a natural amount of a feeling

5.形容詞B1
釋義

showing normal and reasonable thinking, especially a natural amount of a feeling or attitude that is useful rather than harmful

例句

Asher has a healthy respect for the dangers of mountain climbing.

collocation: healthy respect

Mayumi showed a healthy skepticism when she questioned the statistics in the online article.

collocation: healthy skepticism

同義詞
  • reasonable

    broader — describes any thought or action based on logic, not just attitudes

  • sensible

    very close; 'healthy' adds a nuance of natural, instinctive good judgment

  • normal

    simpler but less precise; 'healthy' implies the amount is not just normal but useful

反義詞
  • unreasonable

    contradicts the idea of sound judgment

  • excessive

    the opposite of a 'healthy amount' — too much

  • unhealthy

    can also be used before the same nouns: an unhealthy obsession

文法句型

healthy + noun (respect, skepticism, fear, distrust, curiosity)

用法筆記

Only used attributively (before the noun). Common with abstract nouns describing attitudes: respect, skepticism, fear, distrust, curiosity, cynicism, suspicion. The noun always names a feeling that can exist in both helpful and excessive amounts.

常見錯誤

❌He has a healthy about money.
✅He has a healthy attitude about money.
💡'healthy' in this sense must be followed by a noun like 'respect', 'skepticism', or 'attitude'.

6. greater than average in amount, size, or degree — used especially of profits, sa

6.形容詞B2
釋義

greater than average in amount, size, or degree — used especially of profits, salaries, appetites, margins, or financial returns

例句

The company made a healthy profit from the new product line.

collocation: healthy profit

As a professional athlete, Stefan earns a healthy salary.

collocation: healthy salary

同義詞
  • considerable

    formal; similar meaning but neutral — does not carry the positive tone of 'healthy'

  • substantial

    formal; suggests a solid, significant amount

  • generous

    used for donations, portions, or offers; implies intention to give plenty

  • sizeable

    informal; simply means fairly large

反義詞
  • modest

    polite opposite — not small, but not large either

  • meagre

    negative — too small to be sufficient

  • tiny

    simple opposite; very small

文法句型

healthy + noun (profit, salary, appetite, donation, return)

用法筆記

Only attributive (before the noun). Distinguish from sense 4 (SUCCESSFUL): sense 6 comments on the size of a figure or amount, while sense 4 comments on the overall condition of the entity. A failing company can still report a healthy profit in its final quarter.

healthy — adverb