Definition

Adjective: 1. Promoting health or well-being; beneficial: Describes something that has a positive effect on physical health or general welfare. 2. Producing a beneficial effect; remedial: Describes an experience or lesson, often unpleasant, that results in a positive outcome by providing a useful warning or correction.

Usage

The word "salutary" is formal and is used to describe things, experiences, or effects that are good for you, often by improving health or teaching a valuable lesson. It emphasizes the ultimately beneficial result, even if the process is not enjoyable.

Examples

• The doctor emphasized the salutary effects of regular exercise and a healthy diet.
• The company's financial losses served as a salutary reminder of the need for careful budgeting.
• The mountain air had a salutary influence on her recovery from illness.
• The defeat was a salutary experience for the overconfident team, teaching them the value of hard work.

Advanced Usage

• Salutary neglect: A historical term referring to a British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws in the American colonies, which was believed to be beneficial for colonial growth.
  • The period of salutary neglect allowed the American colonies to develop their own trade practices.
• Used to describe lessons learned from negative events:
  • The scandal provided a salutary lesson in corporate ethics.

Variants and Related Words

• Salubrious (adj): Health-giving; healthy. (Often used specifically for climate or air).
  • They moved to a more salubrious part of the city.
• Beneficial (adj): Producing good or helpful results.
• Wholesome (adj): Conducive to or suggestive of good health and physical well-being.

Synonyms

• Healthful
• Therapeutic
• Good for you
• Restorative
• Constructive (when referring to lessons)

Antonyms

• Deleterious
• Harmful
• Detrimental
• Unwholesome
• Injurious

Idioms and Phrases

• A salutary lesson/warning: An experience that teaches you an important and useful lesson, often through an unpleasant event.
  • The accident was a salutary warning about the dangers of distracted driving.
• A salutary effect/influence: A clearly positive and health-improving impact.
  • The new policy had a salutary effect on employee morale.

Adjective

1. tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
   • beneficial effects of a balanced diet
   • a good night's sleep
   • the salutary influence of pure air