1
: having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for
Although both girls lived with Ms. Ayala, Millison was the only one who was officially placed in her care as a foster child.—
Ian Fisher
Ian FisherTwenty-three foster children now have a place to call home and family of their own following the Adoption Day at the Williamson County Courthouse in Marion on Friday.—Holly Kee
Holly Keea foster mother/father
her new foster brother/sister
living with a foster family
children in foster care
foster parenting
the foster system
2
: being, relating to, or involved in a situation in which temporary care is given to an animal (such as one that is injured or awaiting adoption) in a household or similar setting
foster pets
a foster dog/cat/puppy/kitten
found foster placements for the animals
For the past year, Melbourne social impact strategy consultant Lee Crockford has been a foster dad to Romeo, an adorable Labrador puppy and future seeing eye dog.—Shannon Molloy
Shannon Molloysee also foster home
fostered; fostering
ˈfȯ-st(ə-)riŋ 
ˈfä-
; fosters
1
a
: to act as a foster parent to (a child)
The couple said they get … updates and pictures from all the children they've fostered.—Patrick Edrich
Patrick Edrich
b
: to provide temporary care to (an animal that is injured, homeless, etc.) in a household or similar setting
… it's just her luck she'd find a partner who not only adores dogs but fosters them for a Sacramento animal shelter.—Gina Kim
Gina Kim2
: to promote the growth or development of : encourage
policies that foster cooperation
a lack of communication that fostered distrust
Grilling meat fosters the formation of potentially cancer-causing heterocyclic amines …—J. Raloff
J. RaloffThe dead grass rotted in the warm water, releasing nutrients that fostered algae.—Carl Hiaasen
Carl HiaasenSynonyms
Examples of foster in a Sentence
Verb
Such conditions foster the spread of the disease.
Would you consider fostering a child?
Recent Examples on the WebKristin Jones, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
Star is a former foster care youth and is now a foster care advocate.
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 24 Apr. 2024
Michigan has been cashing in federal benefit money paid to children in foster care to cover some of its own child welfare costs.
—Jennifer Brookland, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Proceeds benefit the nonprofit in its efforts to find homes for infants and toddlers entering foster care.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2024
Democrats who control the state Capitol funded pilots to test new ways to support foster youth, help oil workers transition to cleaner industries and prevent more Californians from becoming homeless — just some of the ambitious ideas that became reality when the budget was flush.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
She was briefly placed in foster care but soon dropped the charges and returned home.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
To think there are foster youth who are mothers or about to become mothers who do not have anyone to lean on motivated me to want to build a community around them.
—Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
The District has about 500 children involved in foster care and serves more than 1,000 children in their homes, according to the latest CFSA data.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
Quantum computing and world-class U.S. research universities have grown hand in hand, fostered by a policy environment that encourages scientists and entrepreneurs to commercialize academic research.
—Jungsang Kim, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
According to the Tomodachi website, the Tomodachi Rainbow program aims to foster long-term friendships with Hawaii's children through outdoor activities and camping in the state's natural beauty.
—Doc Louallen, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2024
The West has tried to bark at Chinese competition by pinning it to fostering overcapacity in industries like energy and EVs.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 10 Apr. 2024
This festival is an immersive community experience that fosters a more open and thoughtful conversation around mental health.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 9 Apr. 2024
At the University of Michigan, two students — one Palestinian and one Jewish — started the Arab-Jewish Alliance more than a year ago to foster better relations between the two cultures.
—Lisa Ling, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
Area garden clubs foster the joy of gardening through their interactions with the community, offering advice and guidance for both novices and those who already have a green thumb.
—Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
Our work shows that cultures of genius are also more likely to foster unhealthy competition, infighting, and unethical behavior, including cheating.
—Mary C. Murphy, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Research has found that, among these groups, parents are more likely to lose parental rights and children are more likely to wind up in foster care.
—Kristin Jones, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
Star is a former foster care youth and is now a foster care advocate.
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 24 Apr. 2024
Michigan has been cashing in federal benefit money paid to children in foster care to cover some of its own child welfare costs.
—Jennifer Brookland, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Proceeds benefit the nonprofit in its efforts to find homes for infants and toddlers entering foster care.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2024
Democrats who control the state Capitol funded pilots to test new ways to support foster youth, help oil workers transition to cleaner industries and prevent more Californians from becoming homeless — just some of the ambitious ideas that became reality when the budget was flush.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
She was briefly placed in foster care but soon dropped the charges and returned home.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
To think there are foster youth who are mothers or about to become mothers who do not have anyone to lean on motivated me to want to build a community around them.
—Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
The District has about 500 children involved in foster care and serves more than 1,000 children in their homes, according to the latest CFSA data.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Verb
Railroad Square offers a dynamic and inclusive space for the community to engage with contemporary art, fostering a lively cultural scene in the heart of Tallahassee with its monthly First Friday Gallery Hop and a range of local events.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
Quantum computing and world-class U.S. research universities have grown hand in hand, fostered by a policy environment that encourages scientists and entrepreneurs to commercialize academic research.
—Jungsang Kim, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
According to the Tomodachi website, the Tomodachi Rainbow program aims to foster long-term friendships with Hawaii's children through outdoor activities and camping in the state's natural beauty.
—Doc Louallen, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2024
The West has tried to bark at Chinese competition by pinning it to fostering overcapacity in industries like energy and EVs.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 10 Apr. 2024
This festival is an immersive community experience that fosters a more open and thoughtful conversation around mental health.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 9 Apr. 2024
At the University of Michigan, two students — one Palestinian and one Jewish — started the Arab-Jewish Alliance more than a year ago to foster better relations between the two cultures.
—Lisa Ling, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
Area garden clubs foster the joy of gardening through their interactions with the community, offering advice and guidance for both novices and those who already have a green thumb.
—Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
Our work shows that cultures of genius are also more likely to foster unhealthy competition, infighting, and unethical behavior, including cheating.
—Mary C. Murphy, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near foster
Cite this Entry
“Foster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foster. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
foster
1 of 2 adjective
fos·ter
ˈfȯs-tər
ˈfäs-
: giving, receiving, or sharing parental care even though not related by blood or legal ties
foster parent
foster child
Biographical Definition
Foster 1 of 2
biographical name (1)
Fos·ter
ˈfȯ-stər
ˈfä-
Stephen Collins 1826–1864 American songwriter
Foster
2 of 2biographical name (2)
William Z(ebulon) 1881–1961 American Communist
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