care for
phrasal verb
cared for; caring for; cares for
1
: to do the things that are needed to help and protect (a person or animal) : look after (someone or something)
She cares for elderly patients.
Who is caring for your son while you are at work?
2
: to feel affection for (someone)
I got the feeling he never really cared for me.
3
somewhat formal
: to like or enjoy (something)
—often used in negative statements
I don't care for jelly beans.
I don't care for your tone of voice.
4
somewhat formal
: to want (something)
Would you care for some pie?
Examples of care for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kordia had come to the US first on a tourist visa and then transitioned to a student visa, studying English while working as a waitress and at a clothing store and helping care for her US citizen mother and brother, her attorneys said.
—
Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Dara, played by the delightfully expressive Caoilfhionn Dunne, has given up most things to care for her aging mother.
—Anna Russell, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The greater challenge, Bron-Harlev said, is continuing to care for all existing patients as missile sirens sound across the country.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026
The River Is Waiting follows Corby, a dad laid off from his job in an advertising firm’s art department, who secretly drinks 100-proof rum and abuses prescription medication while caring for his twin 2-year-olds.
—Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for care for
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Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Dara, played by the delightfully expressive Caoilfhionn Dunne, has given up most things to care for her aging mother.
—Anna Russell, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The greater challenge, Bron-Harlev said, is continuing to care for all existing patients as missile sirens sound across the country.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026
The River Is Waiting follows Corby, a dad laid off from his job in an advertising firm’s art department, who secretly drinks 100-proof rum and abuses prescription medication while caring for his twin 2-year-olds.
—Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for care for
Cite this Entry
“Care for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/care%20for. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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