nourish

American  

[nur-ish, nuhr-] / ˈnɜr ɪʃ, ˈnʌr- /

verb (used with object)

1. to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth.

2. to cherish, foster, keep alive, etc..

   He had long nourished the dream of living abroad.

3. to strengthen, build up, or promote.

   to nourish discontent among the workers; to nourish the arts in one's community.

   Synonyms:

   advance, back, aid, help, encourage

   Antonyms:

   discourage

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nourish British  

/ ˈnʌrɪʃ /

verb

1. to provide with the materials necessary for life and growth

2. to support or encourage (an idea, feeling, etc); foster

   to nourish resentment

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Usage

What does nourish mean? Nourish means to promote healthy growth—to 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. Healthy food nourishes us. Parents try to nourish their children by feeding them healthy foods. Sometimes, food is said to nourish more than the body, as in A warm, home-cooked meal nourishes the body and the spirit. However, nourish can be used in many other contexts, including those that don’t involve food, as in Education nourishes our minds. In the context of the growth and development of things, such as communities and relationships, nourish means to build up or promote, as in This grant is intended to nourish the local arts and culture scene. A more common synonym for this sense of the word is nurture. In all of these senses, nourish is a somewhat formal and perhaps poetic word—it usually means something loftier than feed. Less commonly, nourish can mean to cherish, foster, or keep alive, especially something abstract, like hopes or dreams. This isn’t always something positive—you can nourish a grudge, for example. The word nourished is often used as an adjective, including in terms like well nourished, poorly nourished, undernourished, and malnourished. Things that nourish can be described with the adjective nourishing. The noun nourishment can refer to the act of nourishing or to something that nourishes. Example: As a mother, it’s my job to nourish my kids physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Related Words

See nurse.

Other Word Forms

• nourishable adjective
• nourisher noun
• nourishing adjective
• nourishingly adverb
• overnourish verb (used with object)
• renourish verb (used with object)
• self-nourished adjective
• unnourishable adjective
• unnourished adjective
• well-nourished adjective

Etymology

Origin of nourish

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English norisshe, from Old French noriss-, long stem of norir, from Latin nūtrīre “to feed”; nurse, -ish ²

Explanation

When you nourish your imagination or your body, you give it what it needs to stay healthy and flourish (hey, that rhymes!). Whenever you eat a nutritious meal, you nourish your body. You can also nourish your dreams by allowing yourself to take chances and try what interests you, even if you're not sure what the outcome will be. To transform the verb nourish into an adjective, you can just add ing. Then, you can describe things that nourish you — like protein shakes or good poetry — as nourishing.

Example Sentences

But the father of seven said drilling new wells could take away from the well he uses to nourish his horses, chickens, barn cats and dogs.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

"We often go to all the exhibitions that nourish us and lift our spirits."

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

The coziness comes from structure: meals designed to nourish through cold months, to make use of preserved ingredients, to create warmth without extravagance.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026

It’s a time to hibernate, rest and nourish yourself in preparation for the year of parties ahead.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

“He can nourish his mind and body at the same time. I used to read with my meals when I was a student.”

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• cherish
• cultivate
• sustain
• tend