Synonyms of nurse

nurse 1 of 2

noun

ˈnərs 

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

5

as in to raise

to bring to maturity through care and education

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pour
• heap
• lavish
• shower
• rain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of nurse

Noun

Each and every day, my fellow nurses, healthcare workers and I show up to care for and improve the lives of our patients. — Nancy Hagans, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026

So many died, my hospital forced ICU nurses to call in to grief counselors. — Alessandra Hirsch, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

Verb

Uncle Jimmy hung back by the drippy windows at the rear of the kitchen nursing a Schlitz. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026

Dima was famished and weak, and Zayarnaya nursed him back to health. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing nurse

• dry nurse