Describing Wellness: English Vocabulary List

used to refer to someone who is very healthy and in good physical condition

"He is fit as a fiddle."

"My grandmother is as fit as a fiddle even though she is over eighty years old."

having a lively and cheerful energy

"She is peppy."

"The peppy cheerleader led the crowd in chants and everyone at the football game could feel her energy and enthusiasm."

energetic and agile, especially in older age

"My grandfather is still spry."

"The spry elderly woman still played tennis every weekend and she often beat opponents who were half her age."

cheerful, lively, and in good spirits

"You look chipper today."

"The chipper barista greeted every customer with a smile and a cheerful good morning even on the coldest and rainiest days."

a person who is excessively concerned about their health and often believes they are ill

"He is valetudinarian."

"The valetudinarian old man visited the doctor at least once a week to complain about minor aches and pains that worried him constantly."

relating to a health condition where a person has a lower than normal number of red blood cells, causing fatigue and weakness

"The patient is anemic."

"The patient felt weak and tired because she was anemic so the doctor prescribed iron supplements to help her produce more red blood cells."

suffering from an illness or injury

"The ailing dog needed care."

"The ailing monarch was too weak to attend the coronation ceremony and remained in his chambers."

yellowish, sickly, or lacking in healthy color

"His skin is sallow."

"The sick child's skin was sallow and pale and his mother knew that he needed to see a doctor immediately."

to completely overwhelm or weaken someone physically, mentally or emotionally, making them unable to function normally

"He was prostrate with grief."

"The devastating news of the company's bankruptcy completely prostrated the dedicated employees, leaving them unable to think about their next steps."

feeling or appearing completely exhausted

"He feels spent."

"After running the marathon the athlete felt completely spent and he collapsed on the grass to rest his exhausted body."

abnormally pale, lacking in color, and often associated with illness, shock, or a lack of vitality

"Her face is pallid."

"His face was pallid and clammy from the fever, indicating a serious illness that required immediate medical attention."

characterized by a lack of energy, listlessness, or a dreamy, relaxed feeling

"She feels languorous."

"The languorous cat stretched slowly in the sun and then closed its eyes to take a long nap on the warm windowsill."

weakened and depleted of strength or vitality

"He felt enervated."

"The long flight left her feeling enervated and she could barely keep her eyes open during the taxi ride to the hotel."

having the ability to restore vitality or freshness

"The spa treatment is revitalizing."

"The rain was revitalizing for the dry garden and the next morning the flowers had perked up and were blooming beautifully."

severely affected by a harmful condition or troubling emotion

"The village was stricken."

"The poverty stricken village had no clean water or electricity and the children walked miles every day to attend a crowded school."