nourishing
Americanadjective
Usage
What does nourishing mean? Nourishing is an adjective that describes things that nourish—do or provide what’s needed for someone or something to be healthy and to grow and develop. The word is most commonly used in relation to food. Nourishing food is filled with nutrients that help us to grow and stay healthy. A more common word to describe such food is nutritious. However, nourishing can be used in many other contexts, including those that don’t involve food, as in a nourishing atmosphere for students. Example: As a mother, it’s my job to provide my kids with things that are physically, mentally, and emotionally nourishing.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nourishing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The choroid plays an important role in nourishing the outer retina, but lymphatic vessels had not previously been established in this region.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
Some of the products that flow through Malé to Moscow are designated under sanctions as dual-use, meaning they could be used for military or civilian purposes, such as nourishing the country’s sanctioned airline industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
"It's cliché but kind of creating and nourishing new life and new growth is just really the circle of life."
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
On top of that, the cultural obsession with efficiency doesn’t align with a diet that views cooking as a nourishing daily ritual.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
Irrigating her fields, nourishing her crops with other people’s passions.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
