to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage.
to foster new ideas.
to care for a foster child or a pet as a temporary guardian.
The couple fostered two boys until they could be reunited with their birth parents.
Have you ever fostered a kitten that you just couldn’t part from afterwards?
to care for or cherish.
British. to place (a child) in a foster home.
Obsolete. to feed or nourish.
Stephen (Collins), 1826–64, U.S. songwriter.
William Z(ebulon) 1881–1961, U.S. labor organizer: leader in the Communist Party.
a male given name.
to promote the growth or development of
to bring up (a child, etc); rear
to cherish (a plan, hope, etc) in one's mind
to place (a child) in the care of foster parents
to bring up under fosterage
(in combination) indicating relationship through fostering and not through birth
foster mother
foster child
(in combination) of or involved in the rearing of a child by persons other than his natural or adopted parents
foster home
Jodie . born 1962, US film actress and director: her films include Taxi Driver (1976), The Accused (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1990), Little Man Tate (1991; also directed), Nell (1995), and Panic Room (2002)
Norman , Baron. born 1935, British architect. His works include the Willis Faber building (1978) in Ipswich, Stansted Airport, Essex (1991), Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong (1998), the renovation of the Reichstag, Berlin (1999), and City Hall, London (2002)
Stephen Collins . 1826–64, US composer of songs such as The Old Folks at Home and Oh Susanna
See cherish.
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fōstor “nourishment,” fōstrian “to nourish”; cognate with Old Norse fōstr; akin to food
To foster is to nurture something. A teacher could foster creativity by providing crayons to every student. You can also foster a child, which means the child lives in your home for a time. You may have seen photos of a cat taking care of a baby rabbit, or a pig nursing a litter of puppies: those are little foster families. Foster can be a verb (to foster someone or something) or an adjective used to describe a foster family, child, or parent. The word is from the Old English fostrian meaning "to supply with food, nourish, support," which sounds like what those mama hogs were doing. Unlike adopt, foster has a time limit.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The U.S. acts to foster life-sciences experiments while minimizing the risk of a pandemic or other catastrophe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Did Eustis, one of the key players in that vaunted movement — the man who helped foster “Hamilton” — really mean what he said?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
In making the change, he said he hoped “to foster a public conversation about what the Fed is doing to support a strong and resilient economy.‘
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
The idea was to embed prevention specialists within targeting teams and foster a culture that prioritizes civilian security in accordance with U.S. law and international rules of war.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
“It’s not the first time I’ve moved foster homes.”
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
"Bill was a multi-talented celebrity -- wildlife presenter, broadcaster, comedian, writer, songwriter, musician and conservationist," his agent David Foster said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Foster continued that Oddie "taught us the wonder of" the environment.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Special correspondent Darren Foster contributed reporting from Brooklyn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Just like Orson Welles’s Charles Foster Kane, a Minion holds a snowglobe, letting it fall to the ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
“Who are no use at all,” concluded Mr. Foster.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
“That calls for public policy that promotes innovation while also incentivising responsibility and security, fosters international collaboration on key safety issues, and encourages careful consideration of how AI is deployed for the benefit of society.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
It’s a tedious spin on a Wolverine movie Jackman has already made, 2017’s “Logan,” in which his mythic anti-heroic X-Man fosters a ferocious moppet en route to the grave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
The fourth edition of the summit, which fosters diplomatic interactions between India and countries of the African continent, was set to be held in Delhi from 28-31 May after more than a decade.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
The Yerevan gathering is the first of its kind in the Caucasus and comes as Armenia fosters closer ties with Europe while seeking to cautiously loosen itself from Russia's grasp.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
The young musicians in modern conservatoires, music colleges and universities study in an environment that fosters respect for and engagement with a multitude of genres and traditions.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
The Bundists ran social programs that fostered Yiddish culture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
She puts it down to being bullied because she was fostered by her grandparents and her life was "different to everyone else's".
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
“Not only the long-awaited championship, but the likability of the team has really fostered a new generation of fans,” says Marangi.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
They aren’t fostered by technology’s illusion of endless consumption, infinite options and cost-free disembodiment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
I couldn’t imagine that any of the other islanders would have fostered me had I drifted up on their piece of land.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
“We are committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers,” the statement said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Tikhanovskaya has spent years fostering Western support for a democratic Belarus.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Ultimately, Dr. Barish argues that helping children thrive depends less on teaching specific skills and more on fostering emotional strength, confidence, and meaningful relationships.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 13, 2026
One subpoena sought records for p-card transactions linked to Mayor Derrick Henry, including a $1,121 charge at Hotel President in Budapest, where he spoke at a 2023 summit aimed at fostering closer U.S.-Hungary ties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Do I realize that nitrogen fertilizers are destroying fish life by fostering an overgrowth of algae?
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
