foster parent
noun
plural foster parents
1
: a person temporarily serving as a parent for a child who has lost or been removed from a parent's care and who is not the person's own biological child
specifically, US
: such a person who has been trained and approved by a government or social-service agency
Many foster parents … continue to act selflessly as important way stations for at-risk kids while their biological parents get their lives together. —
Timothy Roche
Timothy Roche Foster parents adopt children in Ventura County [California] more often than relatives do. —Stephanie Hoops
Stephanie Hoops 2
a
: a person temporarily caring for an animal (such as one that is injured or awaiting adoption)
The 36-year-old Owosso [Michigan] native became a foster parent to dogs through the shelter five years ago.—Anamaria Dickerson
Anamaria Dickerson
b
: an animal caring for an unrelated offspring
Cowbirds deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds, and unknowing foster parents raise baby cowbirds along with their own young.—The Tuscaloosa (Alabama) News
The Tuscaloosa (Alabama) NewsTom hoped the little eaglet could be placed into an active nest, adopted and raised by wild foster parents, and could ultimately fly free.—Massachusetts Wildlife
Massachusetts WildlifeExamples of foster parent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One night, the young boy took a piece of chicken from the foster parents’ school-age son.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Even Ranger’s foster parent was impressed with the fast turnaround the wide-eyed cat made.
—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2025
The moment a rescue dog showed trust with his previous foster parent left viewers in tears, showing that the power of patience pays off.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Courtesy Jason Kilburn Caroline’s unusual saga began when she was born in November 2022 in a house just over the Nebraska border in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to a mother who immediately wanted to place her with another family, Kilburn said, adding that Nebraska foster parents took her in.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foster parent
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Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Even Ranger’s foster parent was impressed with the fast turnaround the wide-eyed cat made.
—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2025
The moment a rescue dog showed trust with his previous foster parent left viewers in tears, showing that the power of patience pays off.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Courtesy Jason Kilburn Caroline’s unusual saga began when she was born in November 2022 in a house just over the Nebraska border in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to a mother who immediately wanted to place her with another family, Kilburn said, adding that Nebraska foster parents took her in.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foster parent
Cite this Entry
“Foster parent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foster%20parent. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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