nourish

verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish 

ˈnə-rish

nourished; nourishing; nourishes

transitive verb

1

: nurture, rear

… to save my boy, to nourish and bring him up …

—Shakespeare

2

: to promote the growth of

no occasions to exercise the feelings nor nourish passion

—L. O. Coxe

nourished soccer as a sport in this country

needed to nourish his spiritual life

3

a

: to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed

Plants are nourished by rain and soil.

b

: maintain, support

their profits … nourish other criminal activities

—Beverly Smith

nourisher noun

Synonyms

• advance
• cultivate
• encourage
• forward
• foster
• further
• incubate
• nurse
• nurture
• promote

Examples of nourish in a Sentence

Vitamins are added to the shampoo to nourish the hair.

a friendship nourished by trust

Recent Examples on the Web

For something more creamy, you’re best suited to turn to RMS’s nourishing matte formula, or keep it simple with an etching of a Glossier eyeliner pencil. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 13 May 2025

The eatery is part of owner Jodie Martin’s larger mission to nourish both body and spirit, partnering with recovery programs to offer work opportunities for women overcoming addiction. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 11 May 2025

That aerates the soil and provides entry points for rainwater, which nourishes tree roots. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 8 May 2025

Importantly, each day of 7 Days to Gut Health focuses on a specific theme including nourishing the microbiome, reducing bloat naturally, regulating the nervous system through morning and evening rituals and debunking common gut health myths. —Alexandra Pastore, Footwear News, 5 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English nurishen, from Anglo-French nuriss-, stem of nurrir, norrir, from Latin nutrire to suckle, nourish; akin to Greek nan to flow, noteros damp, Sanskrit snauti it drips

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nourish

• flourish

Kids Definition

nourish

verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish 

ˈnə-rish

1

: to promote the growth or development of

2

a

: to provide with food : feed

plants nourished by rain and soil

b

: to provide for : support, maintain

a friendship nourished by trust

Medical Definition

nourish

transitive verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish, ˈnə-rish 

: to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed