nurturing

American  

[nur-cher-ing] / ˈnɜr tʃər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. providing food, protection, comfort, or support.

   Creating safe, nurturing places where all children can grow and develop their unique gifts is a responsibility of all adult members of a society.

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noun

1. the act of providing food, protection, support, or encouragement.

   There's no substitute for what nurturing can do for a child.

2. the act or process of educating or training.

   We hope to build an ecosystem in this county that encourages incubation, innovation, and nurturing of entrepreneurs.

Etymology

Origin of nurturing

First recorded in 1425–75; nurtur(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense; nurtur(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

That has got to be one of the most vivid descriptions of a healthy relationship with money: You are nurturing the excess energy from all of the work you have done throughout the years.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

"Every child deserves safe, nurturing care, and what has happened here is completely unacceptable," they added.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

I’m a journalist and writer by trade, so I’ve refocused on nurturing my craft.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Only in Folan’s late teens did she find a more nurturing home life with her father and stepmother in Katonah, N.Y.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Essentially, Collins was saying that Bobby Fischer’s talent was God-given, innate, and all Collins could do was serve as a guide or bystander, offering encouragement and nurturing the boy’s prodigious gifts.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• sustenance