caretaker

noun

care·​tak·​er ˈker-ˌtā-kər 

1

: one that gives physical or emotional care and support

served as caretaker to the younger children

2

: one that takes care of the house or land of an owner who may be absent

3

: one temporarily fulfilling the function of office

a caretaker government

caretake

ˈker-ˌtāk 

verb

caretaking

ˈker-ˌtā-kiŋ 

noun

Synonyms of caretaker

• custodian
• keeper
• janitor
• warden
• guardian

Examples of caretaker in a Sentence

We have a caretaker who watches the place for us while we are away.

hired a caretaker for the mansion during the winter months

Recent Examples on the Web

Rescuing utopian idyll from dystopian reality, Koreeda determines that humanity is too fragile to forfeit its defining qualities to a mechanical species; that our only viable function in an artificial tomorrow is as the eternal caretakers of memory and imagination. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 May 2026

Proctor was his primary caretaker while working full time as a nurse to make ends meet. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026

Her imperious, elderly father Herrmann (Sylvester Groth) has become disinhibited by dementia and is prone to touching his female caretaker (Patrycja Ziółkowska ) inappropriately, a problem Elsa doesn’t want to face any more than Lucy does. —Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026

Possibly a caretaker, lawn service or pool service. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for caretaker

• automaker
• boilermaker
• cabinetmaker
• coffeemaker
• troublemaker
• undertaker
• blackacre
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker
• homemaker
• icebreaker

Kids Definition

caretaker

noun

care·​tak·​er ˈke(ə)r-ˌtā-kər 

ˈka(ə)r-

: one that takes care of buildings or land often for an absent owner