Nurture is used as both a nouna word that names a person, place, thing, or idea and a verba word that describes an action or state of being. As a verb, it most often means to help something develop or grow. As a noun, it refers to upbringingthe way a child is raised and taught by others or the influence of care and environment on a person’s development.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈnɝːtʃər/
Easy pronunciation: NUR-chər (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Verb meaning to help develop or help grow.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Nurture Meaning
to encourage growth or development
Part of speech: verb
Definition: help develop, help grow
Example: She nurtured his talent with constant support and practice.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- foster — Works well when something is being encouraged to develop.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Nurture
Meaning 2
to feed and care for so something stays healthy
Part of speech: verb
Definition: provide with nourishment
Example: The mother bird nurtured her chicks until they were strong enough to leave the nest.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- nourish — Best fit when the meaning is feeding or supporting bodily growth.
- sustain — Can work when the sense is keeping someone or something going, but it is broader than nurture.
Meaning 3
to raise a child and care for them as they grow up
Part of speech: verb
Definition: look after a child until it is an adult
Example: They nurtured the child as if she were their own.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bring up — Direct match for raising a child.
- parent — Works in some contexts, but it is less direct as a synonym.
- raise — Common everyday substitute for bringing up a child.
- rear — Formal but accurate for raising a child.
Meaning 4
the influence of upbringing and environment on a person
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the properties acquired as a consequence of the way you were treated as a child
Example: The study compared nature and nurture.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- raising — Refers to the process of being raised, though it is less common as a standalone noun in this sense.
- rearing — Matches the idea of being brought up.
Meaning 5
bringing someone up in a way that shapes their behavior and place in society
Part of speech: noun
Definition: helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community
Example: Their nurture gave them strong values and a sense of duty.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- breeding — Can mean manners or social upbringing, but it is narrower and can sound old-fashioned.
- bringing up — Clear, everyday term for the process of raising a child.
- fosterage — A real word, but uncommon and more specialized.
- fostering — Can fit the broader idea of raising or supporting growth, but it is less exact as a noun.
- raising — Works well for the process of bringing up a child.
- rearing — Accurate for the process of raising a child.
- upbringing — Very natural synonym for the way someone was raised.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Nurture Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- foster
provide with nourishment
- nourish
- sustain
look after a child until it is an adult
- bring up
- raise
- rear
- parent
the influence of upbringing and environment on a person
- raising
- rearing
bringing someone up in a way that shapes their behavior and place in society
- bringing up
- upbringing
- raising
- rearing
- breeding
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using nurture to mean only 'feed' or 'give nutrients' in every context; that is just one verb sense.
- Mixing the noun sense of nurture (upbringing or influence) with the verb sense (to care for or develop).
- Assuming nurture and nature are always opposites in every usage; the noun sense is especially common in that comparison.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does nurture mean?
Nurture can mean to help someone or something grow, to raise a child, or the influence of upbringing and care on a person’s development.
What is a simple synonym for nurture?
A strong simple synonym for the main verb sense is foster.
Is nurture a noun or a verb?
It can be both. As a verb, it means to help grow or raise. As a noun, it refers to upbringing or the effect of care and environment.
What is the difference between nurture and nature?
Nature usually means inborn traits, while nurture means the effects of upbringing, care, and environment.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
