nurture 1 of 2

verb

Definition of nurturenext
1
as in to promote
to help the growth or development of wanted to find the art school that would best nurture his artistic talent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding she feels that her lifelong practice of reading the Bible daily has nurtured her in ways she cannot describe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to sustain
to supply with nourishment nurtured their children through the long winters with home-cooked soup

Synonyms & Similar Words

nurture

2 of 2

noun

as in nourishment

Related Words

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 nurture
Verb
At their best, genuinely nurturing and attuned to others’ needs. — Christina Pérez, Vogue, 17 July 2026 Policy makers have nudged it into reserve baskets, offered central bank swap lines, nurtured its own payment system and more. — Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Fortune, 17 July 2026
Noun
One of the most underrated stories in CSF athletics is its remarkable ability to recruit, nurture and spring standout decathletes on the Big West — and elsewhere. — Brian Robin, Oc Register, 8 June 2026 His ensemble-friendly technique nurtures a sense of life continually spilling in and out of the frame. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nurture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nurture
  1. promote
  2. educate
  3. sustain
  4. nourishment
  5. cultivate
  6. inspire
  7. sustenance
  8. encourage
Verb
  • The woman was given a warning but later promoted, according to the lawsuit.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
  • The Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, is much less restrictive and actually promotes the consumption of red wine in moderation.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • The researchers also found that the effects of air pollution on home prices were less acute in neighborhoods where residents were more highly educated and better able to adapt.
    — Daryl Fairweather, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • What began as a public hospital has evolved into one of the nation’s leading academic health systems — advancing groundbreaking research, educating generations of physicians and caregivers, and providing world-class care to patients.
    — Pradeep Khosla, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 July 2026
Definition of educate
Verb
  • Desalination plants are significant in the Middle East region, providing a key lifeline of drinking water and sustaining certain remote regions through droughts.
    — Monica Haider, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Although revenues have expanded substantially, income needs to continue growing rapidly for Newcastle to sustain a higher salary base and regularly sign the best players.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of sustain
Noun
  • Suskind uses an analogy from the 19th century, when a German chemist named Justus von Liebig created one of the first infant formulas, hoping to replicate the nourishment of human milk.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 July 2026
  • Five-Star Weekend, a Peacock series out July 9, is about a food influencer Hollis Shaw (Jennifer Garner) who is in need of a new kind of nourishment after her husband Matthew (Josh Hamilton) dies suddenly in a car accident.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 July 2026
Definition of nourishment
Verb
  • In these dark times, our collective joy and love needs to be documented, embraced and cultivated.
    — Josh Fox, IndieWire, 17 July 2026
  • Mallorca cultivated a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by stunning mountain landscapes and sweeping sea views that encouraged us to slow down and truly unwind.
    — Kasey Busiel, Vogue, 17 July 2026
Definition of cultivate
Verb
  • Fans were inspired, and more big-name players followed, including Peter Beardsley, Keegan’s former Newcastle team-mate.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Wolverine works for Team X, a black-ops group (inspired by the team from the comics) fighting for mutant survival.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
Definition of inspire
Noun
  • To provide that sustenance that gives people life and well-being.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 July 2026
  • One of the researchers’ biggest surprises was the discovery of a particular type of shell from the mollusk Columbella rustica, too small to provide sustenance, in both the Neanderthal and Homo sapiens layers.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of sustenance
Verb
  • The fish were illegally introduced in the 1970s, so the agency encourages anglers to pursue the game fish and keep their catches.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 23 July 2026
  • The tradition, known as lördagsgodis, began in the 1950s by Swedish health officials to encourage limiting candy-eating to once a week and prevent cavities.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
Definition of encourage

Browse Nearby Words

nurturances
nurture
nurtured
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nurture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nurture. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on nurture

Nglish: Translation of nurture for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All