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 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 The exhibit runs throughout May and on some weekends, special workshops will take place to teach about orchids and how to care for them. —

The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024 In her state the problem is the lack of specialized care for cancer patients, and many have to travel to Texas or Oklahoma. —

Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 8 May 2024 One of the major arcs during the sixth and final season of This is Us, which aired in 2022, is how the Pearson family rallies around care for matriarch Rebecca (Mandy Moore) as her Alzheimer’s disease, first diagnosed in season four, progresses. —

Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 May 2024 The plan proposed outlined 50 units that would allow for 24/7 care for its residents. —

Vanessa Swales, Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2024 Meanwhile, demand is soaring, pointing to the wider gaps in care for people with disabilities in Nigeria. —

Kate Okorie, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 May 2024 As Steward’s money problems worsened, so did the conditions of its hospitals and ability to care for patients, with reports of delays in payments to workers and vendors, job losses, insufficient supplies and broken equipment at some places. —

Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 6 May 2024 The family has since set up a GoFundMe, which has raised about $18,000 as of Saturday, May 4, to help pay for funeral costs and help care for Lopez’s kids. —

Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 4 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.