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

In general, Poliakoff said, nurses do not believe that the number of resources brought to bear day in and day out is enough to meet the bedrock mandate of providing quality care for patients. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026

Child care providers that accept children on the subsidy bill the state for the cost of caring for these children. —Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 26 Jan. 2026

In addition to bringing medical care to remote mountain villages half a world away, Halifax has ministered to the dying in hospice, worked with the homeless in New Mexico, cared for prisoners on death row, and led countless protests for peace. —Michael Pollan, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026

An exodus of prosecutors who didn’t care for his staff screaming sessions and boorish press conferences. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for care for

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore