fostered
Americanadjective
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promoted or cultivated.
We need to cut through the deliberately fostered confusions that persist in the debate surrounding the referendum campaign.
The two-acre garden displays six species of its independently fostered roses.
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cared for as a foster child in the home of someone other than the natural or adoptive parents.
In that jurisdiction, 17 percent of all fostered children aged 5 to 18 had been in the same placement for more than five years.
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(of animals)
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cared for temporarily as a pet in a home until adoption can be arranged, often because medical care is required.
Once recovered, the fostered dogs had a better chance of being adopted than healthy ones straight from the shelter.
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raised by other than its own biological parents.
Two male penguins entrusted with the care of a fostered egg have welcomed a tiny penguin chick into the world.
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verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fostered
First recorded in 1580–90; foster ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; foster ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
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
Missionaries fostered a “larger view of the world.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
After serving as a commissioner for tennis during the 1984 Olympic Games in the city, Burke said he was overwhelmed by the sense of community and excitement that the international sporting event fostered.
From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026
Outgoing Prime Minister Orban fostered strong ties, making Hungary a key European hub for Chinese manufacturing.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
Their digging to extract the tuber loosened and aerated the soil and fostered regrowth.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
