nursed

past tense of nurse
1
2
as in suckled
to give milk to from the breast a new mother's decision to nurse her baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5
6
7
as in spared
to use or give out in stingy amounts he carefully nursed his energy during the marathon so that he would have something left for the final stretch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nursed Glasnow nursed an elbow issue when the Dodgers arrived in Atlanta two Septembers ago, hoping the pitcher would check a final box before returning to a big-league game. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Dima was famished and weak, and Zayarnaya nursed him back to health. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 DeMarvion Overshown has handled the bulk of the responsibilities during training camp, while rookie Jaishawn Barham received the green dot while Overshown nursed a sore lower body on Tuesday. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026 There were doubts and questions about whether they could be nursed back to health. J.d. Miles, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 Her eldest son moved in during the pandemic and nursed the orchard’s last remaining tree back to health. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 July 2026 Rescued by Tamijuddin, a Muslim friend of her father’s, the adolescent Sutara is nursed back to health by his family before being escorted safely to her brothers in Calcutta. Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 More intimately, the French theorists nursed grand ambitions and old wounds. Emily Eakin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Zookeepers nursed him and gave him the toy to develop his gripping ability, something newborn macaques need to survive. ABC News, 25 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nursed
Verb
  • Alcaraz is in, his wrist theoretically healed after four months of no competitive tennis.
    James Hansen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • After Abdeen healed, Khalid brought him to the store on weekends and evenings to stock shelves.
    Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Three victims had serious injuries but were in stable condition, while two others had minor injuries.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • When the islanders first got their phones back while in Fiji, Melanie had a video call with her sister in an unseen clip.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As a rough stretch dropped the Wings to eighth in the standings, the vibes spoiled a bit.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Signs Peanut Butter Has Spoiled The most obvious sign that peanut butter has spoiled is the presence of mold.
    Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Saturday’s result raised UNC’s floor more than its ceiling in my eyes.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • He was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy, according to his older sister Maridale Powell, 89.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums are carefully cultivated and tended through summer to produce the tight, abundant domes of little flowers gardeners prize in autumn.
    Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Meaning that the blue weber agave used in its production was cultivated from farms that actively restore soil health and improve local ecosystems rather than just sustaining them.
    Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Even the National Weather Service’s Oxnard station wasn’t spared — topping out at 87 degrees, besting a record of 85 set in 1931.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Strong El Niño events, such as the one revving up in the tropical Pacific, have rarely spared the Golden State from significant and damaging consequences.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Chan’s parents always treated their back pain from laborious food industry jobs with acupuncture and cupping, the practice of using cups or suction on the skin to stimulate blood flow and the flow of chi, or energy.
    Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • None of this was treated as a foregone conclusion during production.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.
    Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nursed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nursed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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