1
: having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for
Although both girls lived with Ms. Ayala, Millison was the only one who was officially placed in her care as a foster child.—
Ian Fisher
Ian FisherTwenty-three foster children now have a place to call home and family of their own following the Adoption Day at the Williamson County Courthouse in Marion on Friday.—Holly Kee
Holly Keea foster mother/father
her new foster brother/sister
living with a foster family
children in foster care
foster parenting
the foster system
2
: being, relating to, or involved in a situation in which temporary care is given to an animal (such as one that is injured or awaiting adoption) in a household or similar setting
foster pets
a foster dog/cat/puppy/kitten
found foster placements for the animals
For the past year, Melbourne social impact strategy consultant Lee Crockford has been a foster dad to Romeo, an adorable Labrador puppy and future seeing eye dog.—Shannon Molloy
Shannon Molloysee also foster home
fostered; fostering
ˈfȯ-st(ə-)riŋ 
ˈfä-
; fosters
1
a
: to act as a foster parent to (a child)
The couple said they get … updates and pictures from all the children they've fostered.—Patrick Edrich
Patrick Edrich
b
: to provide temporary care to (an animal that is injured, homeless, etc.) in a household or similar setting
… it's just her luck she'd find a partner who not only adores dogs but fosters them for a Sacramento animal shelter.—Gina Kim
Gina Kim2
: to promote the growth or development of : encourage
policies that foster cooperation
a lack of communication that fostered distrust
Grilling meat fosters the formation of potentially cancer-causing heterocyclic amines …—J. Raloff
J. RaloffThe dead grass rotted in the warm water, releasing nutrients that fostered algae.—Carl Hiaasen
Carl HiaasenSynonyms
Examples of foster in a Sentence
Verb
Such conditions foster the spread of the disease.
Would you consider fostering a child?
Recent Examples on the WebTaylor Crumpton, Essence, 16 May 2024
The governor in January proposed more than $50 million in cuts to programs providing a hotline and rental housing assistance for foster youth.
—Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 15 May 2024
The shelter, which is undergoing renovations, has put out calls for people to adopt or foster animals due to capacity issues.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2024
West Virginia currently has the second-highest child-poverty rate in the nation and places four times as many children in foster care per capita as the country as a whole.
—Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 9 May 2024
The building on the Thames is a hub of creativity and dialogue, where diverse perspectives converge to create interesting dialogues and foster cultural exchange.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2024
Days after his birth, he was taken in by Lisa Barker Johnson, a foster mother in her 30s who lived in Zion, Ill., a working-class city halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee.
—Glenn Thrush Carlos Javier Ortiz, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Haddish and her four younger half-siblings ended up in foster care.
—Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Anh Lê San Francisco Support foster system to meet kids’ needs
There are roughly 4,100 children in foster care in the Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2024
Whoever found the pup turned him over to the Price City police, and Chief Sicilia fostered him at the department.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2024
Authenticity is the cornerstone of these relationships, fostering trust, credibility, and long-term success.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 19 May 2024
The greatest leaders build networks of weak ties, acting as information brokers, catalysts and connectors, fostering change and uniting diverse groups within their organizations in meaningful ways.
—Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2024
While the country is divided, this assignment brings together men of different backgrounds, fostering camaraderie and mutual respect (surprisingly, the topic of slavery never comes up, though God factors into multiple conversations).
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 May 2024
With our user-friendly, all-in-one platform, HOAs gain a central hub to connect directly with residents, fostering happier and more efficient communities.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2024
In recent years, many companies have tried to reshape their cultures to foster more innovation.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 May 2024
Chatting can spark new ideas, foster a sense of belonging, and create a culture of mutual exchange.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 May 2024
Adjective
The opportunity to grow into themselves, to establish and foster relationships with the audiences, and for fans to feel safe to invest in their stories without fear of cancellation.
—Taylor Crumpton, Essence, 16 May 2024
The governor in January proposed more than $50 million in cuts to programs providing a hotline and rental housing assistance for foster youth.
—Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 15 May 2024
The shelter, which is undergoing renovations, has put out calls for people to adopt or foster animals due to capacity issues.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2024
West Virginia currently has the second-highest child-poverty rate in the nation and places four times as many children in foster care per capita as the country as a whole.
—Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 9 May 2024
The building on the Thames is a hub of creativity and dialogue, where diverse perspectives converge to create interesting dialogues and foster cultural exchange.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2024
Days after his birth, he was taken in by Lisa Barker Johnson, a foster mother in her 30s who lived in Zion, Ill., a working-class city halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee.
—Glenn Thrush Carlos Javier Ortiz, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Haddish and her four younger half-siblings ended up in foster care.
—Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Anh Lê San Francisco Support foster system to meet kids’ needs
There are roughly 4,100 children in foster care in the Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
Verb
This collaborative effort will offer invaluable insights and guidance to individuals looking to transition from MMA fans to active participants, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the sport.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2024
Whoever found the pup turned him over to the Price City police, and Chief Sicilia fostered him at the department.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2024
Authenticity is the cornerstone of these relationships, fostering trust, credibility, and long-term success.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 19 May 2024
The greatest leaders build networks of weak ties, acting as information brokers, catalysts and connectors, fostering change and uniting diverse groups within their organizations in meaningful ways.
—Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2024
While the country is divided, this assignment brings together men of different backgrounds, fostering camaraderie and mutual respect (surprisingly, the topic of slavery never comes up, though God factors into multiple conversations).
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 May 2024
With our user-friendly, all-in-one platform, HOAs gain a central hub to connect directly with residents, fostering happier and more efficient communities.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2024
In recent years, many companies have tried to reshape their cultures to foster more innovation.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 May 2024
Chatting can spark new ideas, foster a sense of belonging, and create a culture of mutual exchange.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near foster
Cite this Entry
“Foster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foster. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
foster
1 of 2 adjective
fos·ter
ˈfȯs-tər
ˈfäs-
: giving, receiving, or sharing parental care even though not related by blood or legal ties
foster parent
foster child
Biographical Definition
Foster 1 of 2
biographical name (1)
Fos·ter
ˈfȯ-stər
ˈfä-
Stephen Collins 1826–1864 American songwriter
Foster
2 of 2biographical name (2)
William Z(ebulon) 1881–1961 American Communist
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