care for

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 China, filial piety is a core virtue; children traditionally are required to respect, obey and care for their parents. — Huiyee Chiew and Lyric Li The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026

No families would be required to participate, but those who do can have a nurse visit and answer questions about feeding, sleep and caring for a new baby. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

In the weeks that follow, Magnolia plans her daughter’s birthday, negotiates her relationship with her daughter’s father, and coördinates medical care for her aging parents, who are living in Haiti amid growing violence. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Others may be learning to live with a disability, giving up driving, caring for a spouse, moving from a longtime home, beginning a new relationship or adjusting to changes in independence. — Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for care for

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