foster

adjective

fos·ter | \ ˈfȯ-stər

, ˈfä-\

Definition of foster

(Entry 1 of 4)

: affording, receiving, or sharing nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties They are foster parents to three foster children.

foster

verb

fostered; fostering\ ˈfȯ-st(ə-)riŋ

, ˈfä- \

Definition of foster (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to give parental care to : nurture They are considering fostering a child.

2 : to promote the growth or development of : encourage fostered the college in its early years policies that foster competition

Foster

biographical name (1)

Fos·ter | \ ˈfȯ-stər

, ˈfä-\

Definition of Foster (Entry 3 of 4)

Stephen Collins 1826–1864 American songwriter

Foster

biographical name (2)

Definition of Foster (Entry 4 of 4)

William Z(ebulon) 1881–1961 American Communist

Other Words from foster Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about foster

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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 Web: Adjective

One reason may be that foster and adoptive parents aren’t aware of them. — Naomi Schaefer Riley, WSJ, "The White House Can Help Foster Kids," 9 Dec. 2018 By December, a state work group will submit its own list of recommendations to the Washington Legislature to close the academic achievement gaps for foster and homeless students by 2027. — Neal Morton, The Seattle Times, "Washington’s homeless students face steep academic struggles," 2 Oct. 2018 Steppe and his team of eight part-time mentors and music and video producers work six days a week with mostly teens ages 14 to 18 who are in homeless shelters, foster care and the juvenile justice system. — Pam Kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "David's Harp strikes a note with at-risk teens," 30 May 2018 Glenn’s foundation, the Brighter Generation Foundation, delivers supplies, resources and access to education for homeless and foster children. — Clarence E. Hill Jr., star-telegram, "Former Cowboys and Buckeyes raising money for Terry Glenn and Ron Springs foundations | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 16 May 2018 Little is known about the children’s lives in Texas because foster care records are confidential and court documents regarding adoption are generally sealed. — Allie Morris, San Antonio Express-News, "Six children involved in fatal California crash adopted from Houston-area," 6 Apr. 2018 Much of his work involved reviewing operations of the Health and Family Services Cabinet, which oversees foster care and adoption in Kentucky. — Deborah Yetter, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky's 'adoption czar' is gone 7 months after Gov. Bevin gave him a $240,000-a-year job," 16 Jan. 2018 The baby was given up for adoption, while the girl now resides in foster care. — Fox News, "Convicted molester's girlfriend admits letting him assault daughter, 10, resulting in pregnancy," 28 Sep. 2018 Sorting out immigration status is an important part of transitioning from foster care to adulthood. — Elizabeth Yaeger, Teen Vogue, "How Immigration Status and Foster Care Are Connected," 24 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Low-Hanging Fruit Amadeus is officially called a Global Distributed Systems (GDS), and is one of three that fosters communication between airlines and various players in the travel industry. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "A Hacker Exposed the Ancient Flaw That Makes Airlines So Hackable," 17 Jan. 2019 These could be textiles, sculptures, or paintings, each helping to foster individuality. — Sienna Fantozzi, House Beautiful, "Everything You Need To Know About Bohemian Design," 19 Oct. 2018 Skip the giant parties for now and circle up with a smaller group for a book club, an intimate dinner—something that will foster a deeper conversation or debate. — Catherine Urban, Bon Appetit, "Your May Horoscope Knows That What Lies Ahead Is Actually Just Potato Chips," 1 May 2018 In large populations, natural selection efficiently weeds out deleterious genes, but in smaller groups like those early humans, harmful genes that arise—including those that foster mutations—can survive. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "Why microbes are better than people at keeping DNA mutations at bay," 11 Apr. 2018 Health insurers were hiking their rates dramatically and might pull out of the market altogether if the uncertainty fostered by Trump continued. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "Lamar Alexander, pillar of Washington’s old guard, is retiring from the Senate," 17 Dec. 2018 Swayed by general manager Dayton Moore’s honesty and the familiarity fostered by area scout Jim Buckley, Singer and his family came to Kansas City to sign a contract with a bonus of $4.25 million. — Maria Torres, kansascity, "'He is gonna be what people come to see': Royals sign, introduce top pick Brady Singer," 3 July 2018 There is also a wide perception among patients, fostered by many eye doctors who do the surgery, that the procedure is virtually foolproof. — Author: Roni Caryn Rabin, Anchorage Daily News, "Blurred vision, burning eyes: This is a Lasik success?," 12 June 2018 Jaime Wilson, a Seven Lakes High School history teacher, has joined a mission fostered by Katy Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182 to make sure that people don’t forget about the Vietnam War and the men and women who fought in it. — Karen Zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "Katy VFW recognizes Seven Lakes HS teacher," 5 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'foster.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.