foster
To encourage the development or growth of something
Examples
In a meeting
“We want to foster a culture of open communication and innovation.”
Over coffee
“Reading together fosters a love of books in children.”
Why this word
encourage
foster implies actively nurturing development over time, while encourage means giving support or confidence without the nurturing connotation
promote
foster emphasizes careful cultivation and growth support, while promote focuses on advancing or advocating for something
support
foster suggests actively creating conditions for gradual development, while support is general backing without the developmental emphasis
Usage tip
Use for nurturing growth over time, especially of intangible things like relationships, skills, or culture.
Etymology
Old English 'fostrian' meaning to nourish, rear, related to 'foster' (food, nourishment)
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Related words
nascent
Just beginning to develop or come into existence
workshop
To collaboratively develop or refine an idea through discussion
protege
A person guided and supported by an experienced mentor
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
streamline
To make a process or system more efficient by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps.
delegate
To assign a task or responsibility to someone else.