nurse 1 of 2

Definition of nursenext
as in nanny
a person employed to care for a young child or children sent his little son back to his nurse so that he could return to his study to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

nurse

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to suckle
to give milk to from the breast a new mother's decision to nurse her baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5
6
7
as in to spare
to use or give out in stingy amounts he carefully nursed his energy during the marathon so that he would have something left for the final stretch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nurse
Noun
Teachers, nurses and doctors across the country regularly sound alarms about being overworked and underfunded, and many end up leaving their public jobs in frustration at impossible conditions. Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026 The nurse was assigned to work at the Missouri hospital in May 2023. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
Verb
While nursing a broken heart, Allie begins to notice Dean’s advances. Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026 Following Palace’s triumph over Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, Richards, who is nursing an ankle injury, touched down in Georgia on Friday. Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nurse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nurse
Noun
  • Tamaya Denae posts on TikTok about her Arizona nanny life.
    Benjamin VanHoose, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
  • One pivotal moment in their BFF history came in 1990 when King, 71, found her now ex-husband, William Bumpus, getting intimate with a friend — while her 2- and 3-year-old children were home with their nanny.
    Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • Virginia Dulles was the opposite of Louanne Bixby—even a hundred children couldn’t exhaust her need to mother them.
    Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • Saturday Night Live host Matt Damon was cast as the adoring husband in Mom, an entirely inoffensive movie where nothing bad happens—something that mothers everywhere will enjoy.
    William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The pups have the epicurean delight of suckling one of the highest fat-content milks in the animal kingdom.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025
  • Those people under him are suckling on his piggly-wiggly titties.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Each puzzle has exactly one solution, so watch out for words or items that seem to belong to multiple categories!
    Mark Cooper, New York Times, 8 June 2026
  • The designer, who graduated from Polimoda in Florence in 2015, also had a stint at Chanel.
    Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • The brothers were each two years apart in age, but younger siblings were never babied; Nick recalled being on the receiving end of numerous pummelings by his older brothers.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Each new piece was crafted to be simple, functional, and beautiful, giving parents peace of mind and babies a nurturing space to grow.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Similar concerns were raised about the merger of the SAG and AFTRA health plans in 2017, which was followed by a significant curtailment in benefits a few years later.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 5 June 2026
  • Set to retail for $5,385, discounts were offered to those who preordered the trolley as part of a crowdfunding drive that raised roughly $1 million.
    Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • Speaking between ballots, Tafoya repeatedly reminded delegates about the importance of winning the general election, while Schwarze encouraged them not to compromise their principles.
    Jay Gabler, Twin Cities, 30 May 2026
  • Kramer said the attendance cap was intentional and designed to encourage visitors to attend events throughout the region.
    Ben Wheeler May 29, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Emergency reserves have little oil to spare and fuel stockpiles are facing critical lows as peak summer demand months approach.
    Devika Krishna Kumar, Fortune, 6 June 2026
  • And because daraxonrasib is a pill, patients are spared the burden of going to a facility and being tethered to an IV pump.
    Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 4 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nurse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nurse. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on nurse

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster