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

“It took a lot of nurturing, a lot of time, a lot of work.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

It languished on broadcast TV before landing on Peacock, which patiently spent years nurturing the audience.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

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

Since I wasn’t able to spend it in the Archives, I spent some time nurturing my budding reputation.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• sustenance