Meaning & use

foster

verb·Academic

To encourage or promote the development or growth of something.

See it in a sentence

The new mentorship program aims to foster creativity among young engineers.

Good teachers foster curiosity rather than simply demanding memorization from students.

A note on using this word

Foster typically takes an abstract object such as growth, talent, or relationships; for raising someone else's child, use the distinct sense below.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

hindersuppress

Another way to use it

2. verb

To bring up a child who is not one's own by birth, typically on a temporary, officially arranged basis.

The couple decided to foster two siblings after completing the required training.

Make it your own

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