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

Listeners interpret Kiedis’ lyrics in many ways, but regardless of what he intended, the song’s message circles back to nurturing and harnessing one’s individuality into a creative fuel.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

For years, Washington maintained a hub-and-spoke approach to allies surrounding China, nurturing singular relationships with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and others.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

London Fashion Week, better known for nurturing new talent than for its big-name shows, kicks off on Thursday with a tribute to one of its stalwarts Paul Costelloe.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Lex has a larger-than-life personality — he is sure, protective and affirming of Petar, while Petar is calm, grounding and nurturing of Lex.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

Rumsey closed with an appeal for nurturing the artistic temperament in young and old alike, “to stoke that Apollonian ember in all mortal beings.”

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Related Words

• sustenance