Synonyms of nurse

nurse 1 of 2

noun

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

• nanny
• nannie
• sitter
• nursemaid
• babysitter
• nurser
• dry nurse
• mammy
• amah
• ayah
• duenna
• fraulein
• governess
• bonne
• au pair
• mademoiselle

nurse

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to mother

to attend to the needs and comforts of

willingly lent a hand to nurse his grandmother in her final years, helping her get from one room to the other and making sure she was warm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mother
• heal
• treat
• doctor
• look after
• aid
• see to
• wait on
• support
• look to
• do for
• take care of
• baby
• wait upon
• administer (to)
• minister (to)
• look out for
• cure
• remedy
• preserve
• conserve
• care (for)
• spoil
• mollycoddle
• humor
• pamper
• coddle
• indulge
• provide (for)
• cater (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forget
• ignore
• neglect
• slight
• brush (aside or off)
• overlook

• forget
• ignore
• neglect
• slight
• brush (aside or off)
• overlook

2

as in to suckle

to give milk to from the breast

a new mother's decision to nurse her baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

• suckle
• wet-nurse
• breast-feed
• bottle-feed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wean

• wean

3

as in to have

to keep in one's mind or heart

he continues to nurse a tender affection for his first girlfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

• have
• hold
• bear
• entertain
• harbor
• hold on to
• retain
• remember
• cherish
• keep
• hug
• foster
• hang on to
• carry
• cultivate
• nurture
• maintain
• support
• treasure
• cleave (to)
• sustain
• stick (to)
• preserve
• cling (to)
• brood (about or over)
• fixate (on or upon)
• obsess (about or over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forget
• drop
• ignore
• refuse
• neglect
• deny
• disregard
• overlook
• quit
• decline
• reject
• part (with)
• repudiate
• abandon
• scorn
• desert
• throw out
• give up
• renounce
• forsake
• discard
• disdain
• abjure
• erase
• expunge

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• forget
• drop
• ignore
• refuse
• neglect
• deny
• disregard
• overlook
• quit
• decline
• reject
• part (with)
• repudiate
• abandon
• scorn
• desert
• throw out
• give up
• renounce
• forsake
• discard
• disdain
• abjure
• erase
• expunge

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4

as in to baby

to treat with great or excessive care

nursed his sprained ankle for the rest of the week

Synonyms & Similar Words

• baby
• mother
• spoil
• please
• dandle
• indulge
• mollycoddle
• cosset
• pamper
• wet-nurse
• cocker
• coddle
• appease
• humor
• delight
• satisfy
• content
• placate
• oblige
• cater (to)
• gratify
• soothe
• gladden
• pacify
• mollify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discipline
• control
• abuse
• maltreat
• restrain
• mistreat
• manhandle
• misuse
• neglect
• hurt
• oppress
• ill-treat
• molest
• outrage
• slight
• mishandle
• torture
• harass
• torment
• ill-use
• violate
• overlook
• victimize
• harm
• injure
• persecute
• oppress

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• discipline
• control
• abuse
• maltreat
• restrain
• mistreat
• manhandle
• misuse
• neglect
• hurt
• oppress
• ill-treat
• molest
• outrage
• slight
• mishandle
• torture
• harass
• torment
• ill-use
• violate
• overlook
• victimize
• harm
• injure
• persecute
• oppress

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5

as in to foster

to bring to maturity through care and education

as foster parents they accepted and nursed 16 needy children over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

• foster
• mother
• raise
• father
• nurture
• breed
• school
• teach
• rear
• educate
• watch
• nourish
• feed
• mentor
• cradle
• bring up
• tutor
• promote
• discipline
• supply
• cultivate
• train
• attend
• shepherd
• instruct
• forward
• further
• guide
• mind
• minister (to)
• enlighten
• lead
• prepare
• show
• indoctrinate
• edify
• direct
• care (for)
• advance
• provide (for)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• maltreat
• abuse
• mistreat
• ignore
• neglect
• hurt
• mishandle
• ill-treat
• harm
• ill-use
• injure

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• maltreat
• abuse
• mistreat
• ignore
• neglect
• hurt
• mishandle
• ill-treat
• harm
• ill-use
• injure

See More

6

as in to encourage

to help the growth or development of

her teachers did much to nurse her literary talent

Synonyms & Similar Words

• encourage
• foster
• cultivate
• promote
• nurture
• forward
• advocate
• further
• assist
• advance
• incubate
• aid
• back
• nourish
• champion
• support
• fund
• finance
• uphold
• patronize
• subsidize
• endorse
• underwrite
• abet
• stake
• advertise
• plug
• publicize
• boost
• indorse
• endow
• tout
• agitate (for)
• work (for)
• campaign (for)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prevent
• discourage
• hinder
• bar
• counter
• combat
• contend (with)
• frustrate
• fight
• outlaw
• inhibit
• enjoin
• oppose
• forbid
• proscribe
• ban
• check
• battle
• prohibit
• interdict
• interfere (with)
• arrest
• subdue
• retard
• squash
• stifle
• suppress
• squelch
• repress
• halt
• snuff (out)
• impede
• obstruct
• encumber
• manacle
• hobble
• shackle
• fetter

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• prevent
• discourage
• hinder
• bar
• counter
• combat
• contend (with)
• frustrate
• fight
• outlaw
• inhibit
• enjoin
• oppose
• forbid
• proscribe
• ban
• check
• battle
• prohibit
• interdict
• interfere (with)
• arrest
• subdue
• retard
• squash
• stifle
• suppress
• squelch
• repress
• halt
• snuff (out)
• impede
• obstruct
• encumber
• manacle
• hobble
• shackle
• fetter

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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

• spare
• dole out
• scant
• conserve
• skimp (on)
• preserve
• stint (on)
• shortchange
• mete (out)
• pinch
• portion (out)
• ration (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pour
• shower
• lavish
• heap
• rain

• pour
• shower
• lavish
• heap
• rain

Phrases Containing nurse

• dry nurse

• dry nurse