care for

phrasal verb

cared for; caring for; cares for

: to do the things that are needed to help and protect (a person or animal) : look after (someone or something)

She cares for elderly patients.

Who is caring for your son while you are at work?

: to feel affection for (someone)

I got the feeling he never really cared for me.

somewhat formal : to like or enjoy (something)

—often used in negative statements

I don't care for jelly beans.

I don't care for your tone of voice.

somewhat formal : to want (something)

Would you care for some pie?

Examples of care for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In heterosexual marriages, women are more likely than men to drop out of the workforce in their prime earning years to care for children, putting them at a disadvantage in divorce proceedings. —

Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 8 May 2024 Winchester also had a health care center where people with leprosy were cared for. —

Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2024 Common Problems with Magnolia Ann While these magnolia hybrids are pretty easy to care for, there are problems to watch out for. —

Steve Bender, Southern Living, 7 May 2024 Over 100 of the program’s drivers use flexible work hours to care for their families or pursue higher education. —

Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2024 The downward spiral of one inmate, Markus Johnson, shows the larger failures of the nation’s prisons to care for the mentally ill. Credit... —

Glenn Thrush Carlos Javier Ortiz, New York Times, 5 May 2024 Community health centers receive federal funds to help care for uninsured people, but the federal contribution has remained flat even as the number of people unable to pay for care has increased, Moore said. —

Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 5 May 2024 As planting gears up, here’s what to know about caring for fruit trees and ornamental plants, too, as well as watering and how to handle pests May 4, 2024 5:46 AM PT May is the busiest month in my garden. —

Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2024 After considering hiring a doula or night nurse who would help feed and care for the baby overnight, Forrest decided a stay at Boram would be akin to hiring a doula, lactation consultant, personal chef, and cleaning person in one space for a fraction of the price, albeit still a significant sum. —

Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 8 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'care for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.