WordValefoster
to encourage the development of
In more detail
1. (verb) to encourage or help the growth or development of something
2. (verb) to care for a child who is not your own, usually temporarily, without officially adopting them
3. (adjective) relating to caring for a child who is not your own
Examples
- The school tries to foster a love of reading in young children.
- They decided to foster a teenager from the local care system.
- She works as a foster parent for children in need.
How to use foster
As a verb meaning to encourage development, 'foster' is more formal and literary than 'encourage' and suggests creating conditions for gradual growth over time. In child-care contexts, it is the standard term for temporary care arrangements in the social services system. The meaning of development is common in formal or institutional writing (policy documents, academic work), while the child-care sense is universal.
Common phrases
- foster care
- foster child
- foster parent
- foster innovation
- foster growth
- foster collaboration
Synonyms
encourage · promote · nurture · cultivate · advance
Opposites
discourage · hinder · suppress
Word family
fosterage (noun) · fostered (adjective/verb past) · fostering (noun/gerund)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 'foster' (temporary care without adoption) with 'adopt' (permanent legal assumption of parental role). Do not use 'foster' when you mean permanent adoption.
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