foster out

USAGE SUMMARY

'foster out' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to refer to the process of entrusting a child to another household for care. For example: The government is planning to foster out more difficult cases to suitable homes.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Prior to this study we observed that house sparrows incubate dummy eggs for upwards of 3 weeks, thus giving us ample time to foster out aviary nestlings to wild breeding pairs.

Plosone

First, there's Foster, out alone in the desert at dusk.

The Guardian - Film

FOSTER OUT FOR FIRST MONTH: The Carolina Panthers rookie running back DeShaun Foster will miss the first month of the regular season with a knee injury.

The New York Times - Sports

No sooner was Foster out of the running than Senator Conrad Burns, a pro-life Republican from Montana, led an unsuccessful effort to eliminate the Surgeon General's office altogether.

The New Yorker

Johnson says he plans to return George Foster to the lineup against the left-handed Knepper after sitting Foster out for two games against the right-handers John Denny and Mario Soto in Cincinnati.

The New York Times - Sports

Following his team's nightmare start, Solskjaer switched to a 4-5-1 forestore to resomee some control and, after Fraizer Campbell went close, Mutch caught Foster out with a lob from a similar position to Amalfitano.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

His mother got custody of the children but when she fell ill, Phillips and his brothers were fostered out together.

The Guardian - Books

They were sent to a Barnardo's home in London, then fostered out to Alf and Betty Jackson and brought up in Attleborough, Norfolk.

The Guardian - Sport

How to justify the casting off of Freddy, who was fostered out, given no education or financial help, and made his living as a lathe turner?

The Guardian - Books

Set in rural Wexford, it is narrated by a young girl who is fostered out to another family, the Kinsellas, by her father, for the summer months.

The Guardian - Books

One thing the Foundling Hospital did get right, says Tom, was the realisation that a baby needed a family: so after Jean gave him up he was fostered out to a couple called Elsie and Cecil who lived near Saffron Walden in Essex, where most of the foundlings' foster homes were.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "foster out", ensure clarity regarding who is providing the fostering and what the specific terms of care are. This helps avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "foster out" when you mean simply "foster". The "out" adds the nuance of externalizing the care or placement to another entity, so it's inappropriate if you mean simply to encourage growth or development.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "foster out" is as a phrasal verb. It describes the action of arranging for someone or something to be cared for by another entity. As Ludwig AI explains, this is often in the context of child welfare, or animal care.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "foster out" functions as a phrasal verb, describing the act of arranging for external care. According to Ludwig AI, it is a grammatically correct phrase, appearing most frequently in news, scientific, and wiki contexts. The phrase conveys a neutral tone and indicates a planned transfer of care or responsibility. While related to the simple verb "foster", "foster out" specifically indicates an external placement, distinguishing it from simply encouraging growth. When using "foster out", ensure the context clearly specifies the arrangement for temporary or delegated care.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assign to foster care

Specifically refers to placing a child in a foster system.

place in temporary care

Highlights the temporary nature of care arrangement.

hand over for care

Highlights the act of transferring care.

delegate responsibility

Focuses on assigning duties or tasks.

entrust to

Emphasizes the act of giving someone responsibility.

transfer responsibility

Indicates the shifting of duties to another party.

outsource care

Implies contracting external services for care.

refer for support

Suggests directing someone to external help or resources.

farm out

Suggests distributing tasks to external parties.

pass on for nurturing

Implies that someone will receive specialized support to thrive.

FAQs

What does "foster out" mean?

The phrase "foster out" generally means to arrange for someone or something to be cared for by another family or entity, often temporarily. It's frequently used in the context of child welfare.

How can I use "foster out" in a sentence?

You can use "foster out" in a sentence like: "The organization aims to foster out children to families who can provide a supportive environment".

What's the difference between "foster" and "foster out"?

"Foster" alone generally means to nurture or encourage, while "foster out" specifically means to arrange for care by an external party. The addition of "out" emphasizes the external placement or delegation of care.

Are there alternatives to using "foster out"?

Yes, depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "assign to foster care", "place in temporary care", or "outsource care".