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

Chabad rabbis believe every person possesses a divine spark worth nurturing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 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

It underwrites the sorts of elite cultural and educational institutions that Alexis de Tocqueville and others believed an egalitarian democracy would have difficulty nurturing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

There, an athlete can adopt a houseplant for the duration of his or her stay, nurturing it for a couple weeks before it’s donated to a local charity, perhaps for auction.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

Jimmy Goble had been the love of Katherines youth, a nurturing father, and the partner she expected to grow old with.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• sustenance