HEALING Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

healing 1 of 3

noun

as in recovery

the process or period of gradually regaining one's health and strength the long period of healing following the operation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

healing

2 of 3

adjective

as in medicinal

tending to cure disease or restore health the native peoples of South America recognized the healing powers of the dried bark of the cinchona tree, formerly used as a specific in malaria

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

healing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of heal

as in rehabilitating

to restore to a healthy condition a low-fat vegetarian diet, moderate exercise, and stress management help heal a diseased heart heal the sick

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in recovering

to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness most of the soldiers could go home while they were still healing from their wounds

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in curing

to bring about recovery from time heals all wounds, even those of the heart

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of healing

Noun

Before the healing process was complete, however, Scotty died in what scientists believe was a salty marsh. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026 In accepting only God’s perspective, the author found healing after he was injured. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2026 Denver Archbishop James Golka also issued a statement Tuesday, thanking God for the Pope's successful surgery and encouraging Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Denver to pray for his healing. — Tori Mason, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Thank you all for your outpouring of love, well wishes, and healing prayers. — Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Hopefully, the midterm election will begin the healing process. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 Still, people of all ages should continue to be offered education and safe spaces for healing, Layden said. — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026 During the run of the exhibition, Maravilla will activate the commission via weekly sound baths, an essential component of his practice, which looks at the intersections between art and healing. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 But appearing before another camera every few months to discuss the same wound does not look like healing. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2026

Adjective

The compound also acts as a potent antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that build up in non-healing wounds and cause cellular damage. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 Other symptoms include non-healing or bleeding wounds and feeling or seeing the maggots. — Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Persistent claudication, non-healing wounds, severe swelling and numbness that doesn’t resolve are all reasons to see a clinician. — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026 That becomes this very healing social situation. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025

Verb

Rodriguez explains that, in many ways, the aftermath of the hurricane sparked arguments on both sides that were necessary to begin healing the tension. — Johanna Ferreira, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Her path crosses with that of Inocência, an enslaved Black woman who possesses healing knowledge, knows the land, and devises her own strategies of resistance. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 The record was just a year of me healing myself through making music. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026 The spa Clayoquot’s Healing Grounds Spa fully embraces the healing powers of nature, capitalizing on its secluded setting along the banks of the Bedwell River. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 There was a case in recent years where school staff noticed a student from a faith-healing family having up to 13 seizures a day, which ultimately led to a doctor going to court to say the girl needed emergency medical attention. — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 1 Oct. 2026 Living Love is not just reading the words or recalling the stories – though doing so is natural and foundational to a life of healing love. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026 Two behavioral health experts who lead Voices for Georgia’s Children say that money should go toward protecting and healing children in mental health distress. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026 Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie balance empire-building with something far more personal, from unexpected sparks and new relationships, to healing old wounds and embracing independence. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for healing

Noun

What begins as a straightforward trip to rehab quickly spirals into a journey packed with mishaps, revelations and unexpected connections, forcing both Lucy and Tim to confront the messy realities of fame, family and recovery.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
However, the higher PPI is pointing to an economy that is gradually moving away from deflationary pressures even if the recovery remains uneven, said Hao Zhou, chief economist at Guotai Junan International Holdings.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of recovery

Adjective

Stones, Soddu explains, have a very long history of being associated with energetic, medicinal, protective, and symbolic properties.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026
Take a two-hour walk through the garden with herbalist William Broen, who will give a talk focusing on medicinal and edible plants native to California.

— Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of medicinal

Verb

The nonprofit provides lifelong care for aging, retired, rescued, and rehabilitating horses, while also offering volunteer opportunities and summer camps to teach kids about horse care.

— Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
City staff are proposing a second bond of the same size to pay for building, preserving and rehabilitating more apartments, single-family homes and shelters.

— Madison Iszler, San Antonio Express-News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of rehabilitating

Verb

She has just been released from rehab after falling off the wagon and spends much of her day either sleeping or recovering from bad dreams of being chased by Nazis.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Teacher Becky Drury, 54, is recovering in a Bend hospital with wounds to her arm and hand but hopes to go home soon, said Zack Hall, a family friend who is serving as her family’s spokesperson.

— Martha Bellisle, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of recovering

Verb

Carbon composite manufacturing involves laying down carbon fiber layers in a mold, then curing, or heating, the material to bind the fibers together.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026
The first is to dramatically accelerate the pace of basic science, and the second is to accelerate curing disease and extending health span.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of curing

Noun

Flynn McGuire, a physical rehabilitation doctor at the University of Utah and an author of the review, said anecdotes about people having miraculous recoveries are even less reliable.

— Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
What readers are saying The comments reflect a strong appreciation for a story about the rescue and rehabilitation of an owl, highlighting human kindness and compassion.

— Sydney Page, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of rehabilitation

Adjective

Reporters and editors alike regularly sought their advice on how to cover a certain story, the history of a certain therapeutic approach, or just their general wisdom.

— Andrew Joseph, STAT, 13 Oct. 2026
The Kiwi Wellness Eye Massager adds massage modes and Bluetooth audio, sitting closer to a lifestyle gadget than a therapeutic device.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of therapeutic

Verb

And just to take a step back, legumes are this incredible family of plants in nature that form nodules that are full of something called rhizobia, which are nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
Expanding the pipeline without fixing the workplace is like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it.

— Lynne S. Moronski, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fixing

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Style

“Healing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healing. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of healing

noun

adjective

verb

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