nourishment

noun

nour·​ish·​ment ˈnər-ish-mənt How to pronounce nourishment (audio)
ˈnə-rish-
Synonyms of nourishmentnext
1
a
: food, nutriment
b
: sustenance sense 3
books for intellectual nourishment
2
: the act of nourishing : the state of being nourished

Synonyms of nourishment

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Examples of nourishment in a Sentence

These children are suffering because they lack proper nourishment. Soil provides nourishment to plants.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The spray has peptides and polymers to increase hair diameter and lend fullness, along with amino acids for cuticle repair and scalp nourishment. — Cathy Nelson, InStyle, 21 June 2026 Water the plant deeply and slowly at the base rather than overhead, as this will ensure the roots receive sufficient nourishment and help prevent diseases that can arise from wet foliage. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026 While some beaches remain wide and sand is plentiful, other beaches need human help — and when beach nourishment projects don’t happen, impacts become apparent. — Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 18 June 2026 When movement is restricted, when stress accumulates, when sleep is neglected, when nourishment is poor, and when our nervous system is overwhelmed, imbalance begins to appear. — Sherry McAllister, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nourishment

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of nourishment was in the 15th century

Rhymes for nourishment

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Browse Nearby Words

nourishing
nourishment
nouriture
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Cite this Entry

“Nourishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nourishment. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nourishment

noun
nour·​ish·​ment ˈnər-ish-mənt How to pronounce nourishment (audio)
ˈnə-rish-
1
: something that nourishes : food, nutriment
2
: the act of nourishing : the state of being nourished

Medical Definition

nourishment

noun
nour·​ish·​ment ˈnər-ish-mənt, ˈnə-rish- How to pronounce nourishment (audio)
1
: food sense 1, nutriment
2
: the act of nourishing or the state of being nourished

More from Merriam-Webster on nourishment

Nglish: Translation of nourishment for Spanish Speakers

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