nutritious
gb/nutɹˈɪʃəs/ us/nutɹˈɪʃəs/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
good for your health
Healthy to eat because it has many nutrients.
Usage pattern:
nutritious [food/meal/snack/diet]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *nutritious* to mean only “low-calorie.” Something can be nutritious and still be high in calories (e.g., nuts).
Synonyms
nourishing (Emphasizes giving the body what it needs; often used for food that makes you feel sustained.)
|
healthy (Broader and more general; not always specifically about nutrients.)
|
wholesome (Suggests natural, simple, and good for you, often with a positive moral tone.)
Antonyms
unhealthy (Bad for health in general.)
|
nutrient-poor (Specifically lacking vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients.)
|
junk (Informal; emphasizes low nutritional value and often high sugar/fat/salt.)
Collocations
nutritious meal
|nutritious food
|nutritious diet
|nutritious snack
|highly nutritious
|nutritious breakfast
|nutritious lunch
|nutritious dinner
|nutritious ingredients
|nutritious option
Themes
food
|health
|daily_life
Examples
- Leafy greens are nutritious and easy to add to soups and salads.
- The doctor suggested more nutritious snacks like fruit, yogurt, and nuts.
- School lunches should be filling, affordable, and nutritious.
Learner examples
- Eggs are nutritious.
- This soup is nutritious.
adjective
C1
property
2
mentally nourishing and substantial
Full of useful ideas or information.
Usage pattern:
nutritious [reading/conversation/content]
Common mistake:
This meaning is metaphorical; it does not mean the thing literally contains nutrients.
Synonyms
substantial (Focuses on having real content or value, not being light or trivial.)
|
stimulating (Emphasizes being interesting and making you think.)
|
thought-provoking (Emphasizes causing reflection rather than providing information.)
Antonyms
shallow (Lacking depth or serious content.)
|
empty (Having little real value or substance.)
|
trivial (Not important; too small to matter.)
Collocations
nutritious reading
|nutritious content
|nutritious conversation
|nutritious debate
|nutritious material
|nutritious discussion
|nutritious information
Themes
education
|communication
|media
Examples
- I’m looking for something nutritious to read on the flight—no celebrity gossip.
- The workshop offered practical, nutritious advice rather than vague motivation.
- Their conversation was surprisingly nutritious, full of concrete ideas.
Learner examples
- The article was nutritious and helpful.
- We had a nutritious discussion.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nutritious
IPA
GB/nutɹˈɪʃəs/
US/nutɹˈɪʃəs/
Syllables & stress
nu - tri - tious (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tri)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: nutritious
Word family
Core family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
nutritive
adjective
Expressions
nutritious and delicious
1/nutɹˈɪʃəs ˈænd dɪlˈɪʃəs/
fixed phrase
informal
healthy and tasty
It is healthy and tastes good.
Examples
- The ad promised a breakfast that’s “nutritious and delicious.”
- With a little garlic and lemon, these vegetables can be nutritious and delicious.
- She wants recipes that are nutritious and delicious, not just low-calorie.