- present participle of nurture.
nurturing
Americanadjective
noun
-
the act of providing food, protection, support, or encouragement.
There's no substitute for what nurturing can do for a child.
-
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nurturing the broader corporate adoption of AI could easily work to Nebius’s advantage in the long term.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Nurturing a growing fetus requires a series of profound physical, hormonal, and chemical changes that may rewire every major organ in the body and can cause serious health complications such as hypertension and preeclampsia.
From Science Magazine • Mar. 22, 2024
I didn't really start thinking about trauma until I did the research for Nurturing Our Humanity.
From Scientific American • Sep. 28, 2023
Named for the Hawaiian term that loosely translates to “responsibility,” the space highlights sustainable and healthy food production, with groups like Nurturing Roots Farm and City Fruit providing activities and information.
From Seattle Times • May 25, 2023
Father asked, looking down at the basket where the newchild lay gurgling after his feeding, ready to be taken back to the Nurturing Center for the day.
From "The Giver" by Lois Lowry
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.