What does “foster” mean?
- 1
verbto encourage something to develop
Good teachers foster a love of reading.
- 2
verbto look after a child in your home for a time without becoming their legal parent
They have fostered more than twenty children.
- 3
adjectivedescribing a family or child in a fostering arrangement
He grew up with a foster family in Ohio.
Foster at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb & adjective
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈfɔstɚ/ · FAW-ster
How to use “foster” correctly
“Foster” a child is temporary; “adopt” a child is permanent and legal.
Common phrases with “foster”
- foster growth
- foster a sense of
- foster parents
- foster care
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- promote
- nurture
- encourage
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- suppress
- discourage
“foster” is on these word lists
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