holistic
adjective
Did you know?
Look at the Big Picture With Holistic
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" expresses the essence of holism, a term coined by the great South African general and statesman Jan Smuts in 1926. Holism generally opposes the Western tendency toward analysis, the breaking down of wholes into parts sometimes to the point that "you can't see the forest for the trees". Holism is an important concept in the sciences and social sciences, and especially in medicine. Holistic medicine tries to treat the "whole person" rather than focusing too narrowly on single symptoms. It emphasizes the connections between the mind and the body, avoids the overuse of drugs, and has borrowed such practices from Eastern traditions as acupuncture and yoga.
Examples of holistic in a Sentence
Gareth Cook, Boston Globe, 9 June 2002
The Gaia hypothesis is certainly top-down and holistic, and it's now generally accepted … Organisms have not just adapted to different physical environments; they also modify and improve the environment for their own good—just like people.
—Tom Ghaffin, Natural History, October 1998
People with supermarket carts. When did these things come out of the stores and into the streets. She saw these things everywhere … filled with living trivia, the holistic dregs of everything if that is correctly put.
—Don DeLillo, Mao II, 1991
Holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body.
We need to take a more holistic approach to improving our schools.
Sandy Anderson, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Activities include holistic health, food and cooking, sound healing, Medicare tips, exercise and movement classes, vendors and more.
—Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 July 2025
As holistic therapist, Rikki McCoy says, getting into a physical altercation with your mother or daughter isn’t just a moment of emotional overwhelm.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 24 July 2025
The four-time Emmy nominee is just one of many A-list clients who have achieved action star physiques through physical trainer Jason Walsh’s holistic approach to health and fitness.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for holistic
Cite this Entry
“Holistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holistic. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
holistic
adjective
hol- + -istic
Medical Definition
holistic
adjective
Share