Foster — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈfȯ-stər/ fos·ter

Meaning & Definition of Foster

Foster (adjective)

  1. having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for
  2. being, relating to, or involved in a situation in which temporary care is given to an animal (such as one that is injured or awaiting adoption) in a household or similar setting

Foster (verb)

  1. to act as a foster parent to (a child)
  2. to provide temporary care to (an animal that is injured, homeless, etc.) in a household or similar setting
  3. to promote the growth or development of, encourage

Foster (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to help the growth or development of

    "the head librarian firmly declared that it is indeed the duty of local government to foster learning and a love of reading"

    similar: advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, incubate, nourish, nurse, nurture, promote
    related: advocate, back, champion, endorse, support, uphold, endow, finance, fund, patronize, stake, subsidize, underwrite, abet, aid, assist, advertise, boost, plug, publicize, tout, agitate (for), campaign (for), work (for)
    opposite: discourage, frustrate, hinder, inhibit
    near: ban, bar, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prevent, prohibit, proscribe, battle, combat, contend (with), counter, fight, oppose, repress, snuff (out), squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, halt, retard, encumber, fetter, hobble, impede, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle

  2. to bring to maturity through care and education

    "a greathearted couple fostering two adopted children as well as three more of their own"

    similar: breed, bring up, nourish, nurse, raise, rear
    related: father, mother, attend, care (for), cradle, cultivate, mind, minister (to), nurture, watch, discipline, educate, instruct, mentor, school, teach, train, tutor, edify, enlighten, indoctrinate, feed, provide (for), supply, advance, forward, further, promote, prepare, direct, guide, lead, shepherd, show
    near: abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mishandle, mistreat, ignore, neglect, harm, hurt, injure

Related Entry: Foster parent (noun)

Foster parent is a different word from Foster. The synonyms below are for foster parent, not for foster.

  1. as in nurse, guard

    similar: babysitter, minder, nanny, nurse, sitter, custodian, guard, keep, keeper, protector, caregiver, carer, caretaker, guardian, attendant, chaperone, companion
    opposite: charge, client, dependent, ward

Related Entry: Foster parents (noun)

Foster parents is a different word from Foster. The synonyms below are for foster parents, not for foster.

  1. as in nurses, guards

    similar: babysitters, minders, nannies, nurses, sitters, custodians, guards, keepers, keeps, protectors, caregivers, carers, caretakers, guardians, attendants, chaperones, companions
    opposite: charges, clients, dependents, wards

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Foster

The most common words with a similar meaning to Foster:

advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, incubate, nourish, nurse, nurture, promote, breed, bring up, raise, rear

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Foster

Words with the opposite meaning of Foster:

discourage, frustrate, hinder, inhibit

Related Words for Foster

advocate, back, champion, endorse, support, uphold, endow, finance, fund, patronize, stake, subsidize, underwrite, abet, aid, assist, advertise, boost, plug, publicize, tout, agitate (for), campaign (for), work (for), father, mother, attend, care (for), cradle, mind

Near Antonyms of Foster

ban, bar, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prevent, prohibit, proscribe, battle, combat, contend (with), counter, fight, oppose, repress, snuff (out), squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, halt, retard, encumber, fetter, hobble, impede

Word Forms of Foster

Inflections: fostered, fostering, fosters

Derived words: fosterer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Foster

Middle English, from Old English fōstor-, from fōstor food, feeding; akin to Old English fōda food

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Foster

Words & Phrases Containing Foster

foster care, foster home, foster parent, bananas Foster

Frequently Asked Questions about Foster

What does "Foster" mean?

"Foster" means having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Foster"?

Other words for "Foster" include advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, incubate, nourish and nurse. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Foster" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Foster"?

There are 66 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Foster". Common alternatives include advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, incubate, nourish, nurse, nurture and promote.

What is the opposite of "Foster"?

Antonyms of "Foster" include discourage, frustrate, hinder and inhibit. Near antonyms include ban, bar, enjoin and forbid.

How do you use "Foster" in a sentence?

Examples of "Foster" in a sentence: "the head librarian firmly declared that it is indeed the duty of local government to foster learning and a love of reading"; "a greathearted couple fostering two adopted children as well as three more of their own".

Is "Foster" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Foster" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Foster" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Foster" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Foster"?

"Foster" is pronounced /ˈfȯ-stər/ and divided into syllables as fos·ter.